A Furry Nuisance
by Chranze
Summary: He had considered her his even though he had never claimed her. He knew he always won her heart from others and he planned to forever will. No one had made her heart waver from him. Until an irritating furball came into the picture. SR
1. Chapter 1

**A Furry Nuisance**  
**Chapter One**

It has been quite a time since Sesshomaru had returned to his lands. His father's castle was still in a fine shape and the respect he recieved from his men and servants had doubled now that he was in a fit age of a ruler. They had even accepted his human ward the moment they saw her.

Speaking about his ward.

He had never mated with her, but he gave her the title of Lady of the Western Lands all the same.

She was a mere human girl. Not to mention stunningly beautiful. Soft brown hair, stunning honey brown eyes framed on her perfect oval face, pale smooth skin, pink lips, petit body, and luscious curves. She had caught the eyes of many men, humans and demons of all tribes, ever since she had turned twelve.

Suitors were always asking for her hand of marriage and this was something that angered Sesshomaru for some reason. He considered her as his posession, something that no one else could touch but him. He was the one who gave her a second chance in life, he was the one who protected her from the claws and fangs of hungry demons, and he was the one gave her a place to stay when she had become of age two years ago. Nevertheless, he would coldly tell each suitor to ask her himself, knowing that she would decline every one of them with kind words and a gentil smile. Although the smile was not the kind she offered him that made his heart skip a beat, it still bothered him that the disappointed men, who barely even knew her as well as he did, got a piece of memory to hold onto of how her eyes would shine as her lips turned upwards.

She had a sprightly personality. Young in nature, but yet mature. She was educated personally by Jaken, his obsequious servant, who had an astonishing amount of knowledge in his mind which had even surprised the inuyoukai himself. How she was able to remain so innocent like she was now no one was sure. But she was definitely a generous and thoughtful woman, no disagreements there. She was a woman who was loved by many.

Including the great inuyoukai lord himself.

He yearned to feel her milky skin under his fingertips, her long legs wrapped around his waist, her fingers tangled in his hair, her sweet voice whispering his name. Yet, he knew that he would never receive what he wanted. She was a human. He was a demon. She was innocently sweet, have never harmed a living creature. He was cold and expressionless, have taken the lives of many. He will keep her by his side with her eyes only for him, but he refused to follow the footsteps of his father, to love a human and grow weak. Never. And yet, here he was, worried and hurriedly heading towards her chamber, where she way lying in her bed down with some illness.

Already there were rumors that he had turned soft towards the girl. He scowled inwardly as he realized that for once such rumors turned out to be true.

His footsteps sped up as he caught the familiar scent of his ward. The flowery scent she got from spending her time in the gardens so much and the sweet scent that came off of her naturally, which always seemed to make his senses tingle with pleasure. There were four other scents that were lingering along.

Three were familiar. One was from Dakeru, Takemaru's half-brother and his loyal servant as well as the swordsmaster of the castle. The other was from Narita, the kind-hearted eagle demon who had been working as a faithful servant for the last three generations. The third was from his ward's personal maid, Kaede, who his ward was quite close to. The last scent was quite new. He had never smelt it before, although it was very unpleasantly familiar in some way.

His acute hearing picked up an angry voice.

"I told you to get her a gift!" He recognized the voice of Narita.

"It is a gift!" A cheerful but forceful voice of Dakerur etorted.

"No, that **thing** is not a gift! That **thing** is something that will lead us to our deaths if Lord Sesshomaru finds out!"

"Don't you think it's cute?"

A few ragged breaths could be heard from the eagle demon, which told the inu youkai that Narita was fighting the urge to hit someone.

"What in the world were you thinking?"

"You never know, I mean, Lady Rin does like it..."

"Exactly my point! If our lady starts to grow affections towards it, we, I mean **you** are-"

The yelling stopped as Narita's nose picked up the scent of the inuyoukai. Sesshomaru appeared a second later. His emotionless golden eyes saw Narita holding the scruff of Dakeru's hudoushi. The usually calm eagle demon was glaring down at an indignant looking Dakeru. He dropped the half-demon and smiled nervously at his lord as he bowed.

"Eh heh... Lord Sesshomaru."

His nose detected the foul smell. A smell that was even more disgusting than his half-brother's.

"My lord, Lady Rin is fine at the moment. I highly disagree that we interrupt her sleep."

Sesshomaru said nothing. He knew Narita was lying; he could hear her quiet breaths that were a little faster than usual, indicating she was excited or nervous about something. Definitely not sleeping. His two men were trying to hide something.

His gaze lowered to the wooden floors, where Dakeru was picking himself up on. He took a step closer to the anxious swordsmaster.

"...Dakeru." His voice seemed a little colder than usual.

"Ha, hai?" The young half-demon was already sweating.

"You carry an unfamiliar scent."

The eagle demon seemed to flinch beside him. The worst was yet to come.

"Well uh... It is from the present I gave to Lady Rin my lord."

"...Present."

"My lady had often told me that she would get tired of staying in her chambers for too long and I just happened to run across a suitable present for her, my lord," he laughed rather weakly.

A giggle was heard from the other side of the paper doors.

"My lady, Lord Sesshomaru will be furious..." a nervous woman muttered.

"I'm sure it will be all right," Rin assured in a joyful voice.

Sesshomaru moved towards the doors.

"Uh, my lord, please don't get too upset..." Narita said hurridly before Sesshomaru got to the door.

A clawed hand was on the handle of the door.

"May I please remind you that whatever you see on the other side of the door that may anger you, it is all Dakeru's fault."

"Hey!"

The hand slid the door open quite a little too roughly than Sesshomaru had attended.

* * *

There was his precious ward. Her silky tresses cascading down her back in a raven waterfall, her curves almost visible through the thin two layers of bed clothing, and her eyes sparkling with excitement. Sunlight flooded through the open window next to the bed she was in, giving her an even brighter atmostphere. It was a treat to his eyes. 

Well, it was before he noticed the small bundle in her arms anyways.

A small, furry bundle in her arms.

A small, furry, live bundle in her arms.

And if his nose wasn't playing tricks on him, the pungent odor was coming from the bundle.

It was...

He immediately saw a flash of red. He took a few steps towards where she was, ignoring the hitched breaths of Narita and Dakeru behind him which he could pick up with his sharp hearing.

The furry bundle moved in her arms and gave a yawn, showing two little fangs. It's triangular ears twitched and hissed when he saw the approaching inuyoukai. All the silver hairs of the animal seemed to stand. It's yellow green eyes narrowed and the tail gave an angry flick showing the haughty personality of a typical feline.

His ward smiled brightly as she looked up at him with a pair of twinkling eyes.

"May I keep him, Sesshomaru-sama?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A Furry Nuisance  
****Chapter Two**

"May I keep him, Sesshomaru-sama?"

Nobody said a word. Rin was waiting for Sesshomaru's reply; Narita was busying himself with a little splint on the floor; Dakeru was silently giving prayers to the unknown gods above, knowing that his life would soon come to an end when the demon lord turned around; even the elderly woman, Kaede, Rin's personal lady-in-waiting and mother-like existance, was holding her breath.

He silently eyed the creature. The creature glared back. A silent battle was taking place between the two.

"Please?"

Rin was giving him those eyes again. Those eyes he couldn't refuse so easily. She had used it only twice before in her childhood. Once when he had really intended to kill Jaken off for being so irresponsible and letting a young Rin roam off into a giant spider demon's nest. Another time when she had asked if she could play with his hair. Now this time she was for asking if she could keep a feline. A **feline** in his castle for Kami's sake! Definite no-no. Over his dead body.

His mind had made the decision. She may not like it, but she had always been obedient. She will listen. He was about to say the one syllable answer that may break her heart, when Dakeru spoke.

"My lord, the feline is a part of the medical care our lady needs. May I ask to speak with you outside?"

Sesshomaru said nothing. He was still glowering at the cat that was now purring against Rin's chest. She tightened her hold on the small animal. This simple action angered him the slightest bit. He was being silly, really. It was just an animal right? Jealous of an animal. He, a taiyoukai, the lord of the Western Lands envious of an animal?

Sesshomaru was constantly reminding himself that this bold subject that was testing his patience was just a measly animal when he suddnely became aware of the weak wave of energy radiating off of the cat. It seemed as if the animal was trying to hide it, but being a dog demon, sensing such energy was not much of a difficulty. Maybe he could pry the identity of this animal out of Dakeru. He wouldn't need his sword, his powerful dragon tooth Toukijin, but he felt like seeing a certain someone shed blood, so he unconsciously gripped the handle. Dakeru immediately flinched, and hoped that his prayers to the unknown gods above him worked.

"Rin, we will discuss this later."

Immediately her face lit up. That meant usually a "I'll think about it" or a "No." But either way, she would be spending more time with her little pet.

"Hai, Sesshomaru-sama."

* * *

"Explain, Dakeru." 

The poor half wolf demon was sweating in the corner as his lord towered over him.

"The illness Lady Rin has my lord," he nervously said, "is not very common. The doctor suspects that she needs Siyouchi herbs to recover her health."

"It's rare herbs grown only by tree imps, my lord," Narita explained. "It's said to be a panacea for most sicknesses."

"Does Jinenji not have them?" Sesshomaru inquired.

Jinenji was a hanyou, but a great gardener who lived in a hut nearby the castle to tend the gardens. Herbs that took months to bloom flourished in a week under his care. Rin had requested him as the herb gardener in the first place and she was one of the few people the timid half-demon would meet.

"We had asked him my lord, and he did get frantic at the fact that it was Lady Rin who was down with the disease, but he said the Siyouchi herbs can't be grown in captivity because the tree imps were never willing to expose the roots."

"And the feline," Sesshomaru said rather impatiently. "What does it have to do with all this?"

"There are rumors all around villages that silver nekos are bred by tree imps. If we're lucky, the cat will grow fond of Lady Rin and eventually we might obtain some herbs through him."

"They are known to be very clever my lord." Dakeru then noticed his lord's emotionless eyes had seemed to have gotten colder. "Plus, he seems to have a liking towards the lady already." He hurriedly added. Sesshomaru's eyes turned, if possible, even more frigid.

He could say yes... and endure the foul odor from the feline and the fact that he was housing an enemy-like existence in his castle. But it would please Rin.

He could say no... and enjoy his cat-free castle. But Rin would be upset and maybe even give him that miserable silent treatment which she gave him once before. Not a good memory. And her illness could get critical.

"My lord." It was Narita who spoke this time, his face full of concern.

"The doctor explained that the diesease was a combination of physical and emotional sickness. Humans tend to suffer from it when they are lonely or depressed. Our lady has mentioned of you for many times now when you were patrolling the lands, my lord. It would be wise to let the animal stay."

'She has mentioned of me?' It was small, but he felt a wave of pleasure and satisfaction.

He sighed inwardly, knowing that he would regret his decision later, but turned around and spoke to the two behind him.

"Stay outside."

He opened the door and silently mentioned the elderly woman to leave the room. She quickly exited, leaving Rin in her bed with the purring cat still in her arms and Sesshomaru standing next to her bed. They were engulfed in silence for a while, Sesshomaru looking down at his ward, and Rin pleading him with her eyes until he finally spoke. Quite regretfully.

"The feline may stay."

Her face lit up with genuine happiness. She hugged the cat closer to her body and smiled up at her lord.

"He will only stay until your health is fully recovered."

She nodded still smiling, satisfied that she would at least get a few days with the cat. She placed the gently protesting cat down to her side and hugged him in the middle where it was the highest she could reach from her place in bed. Her simple action startled him, but he could not deny that he found her warmth pleasurable.

"Thank you my lord," she whispered into his clothing. She released her hold to his disappointment, and immediately the cat jumped into her arms. Sesshomaru was beginning to dislike the cat more and more each second.

He turned and headed for the doors.

_Then I think this lady here will be sick for a long while after all. _

The jeering voice made him stop in his tracks.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Furry Nusiance**  
**Chapter Three**

_Then I think this lady here will be sick for a long while after all._

He stopped in his tracks. He knew that he hadn't exactly heard it. It was as if the thought had flooded into his mind. He realized that Rin had not heard it by the way she was still happily scratching the cat's ears.

_Ah... She is so warm!_

His eyes flickered. He turned and returned his gaze onto the cat on Rin's lap. He had expected it, but it did catch him off guard a little to find the small animal staring back at him with eyes full of mockery. The cat arched his body much closer to Rin. She giggled and lifted the cat so the its head was resting on her collarbone.

_Did I fail to mention that she has the most lovely curves?_

Rin then noticed her lord's eyes had turned slightly red and was glaring at the feline, which was cuddled against her chest.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

He merely continued to glare at the cat, absently recognizing the hushed voices of Narita and Kaede from outside the doors.

"Is there something wrong?" She was watching him with quizzical eyes.

"...Rin, give the animal to Kaede. Do not share any contact with him until I tell you so." He still did not take his eyes off of the animal.

She looked confused but nodded.

_Jealous are we?_

He unconsciously growled towards the cat. The feline hissed and bared its teeth angrily as if it was challenging him. A heavy atmosphere engulfed the two and the silent battle continued before it was interrupted by the loud entrance of Dakeru.

After the sound of the sliding door was heard, a trip, a crash, and a vague 'ow', Sesshomaru watched Dakeru sprint towards his lady, grab the scruff of the surprised cat, give a chaste "Terribly sorry my lady", and run outside, closing the door behind him.

Being a half wolf demon, it only took two seconds for him to come in, grab the cat, and haul ass out of the room.

* * *

"I knew there was a catch when you came back five minutes after I told you to get her a gift!" Kaede shouted at Dakeru, who was busy catching his breath and saving his poor fingers from the swipes of the angry cat. 

"But-ow-I thought it was a-ow- good idea I mean -ow- who would've thought that this furball-ow!-is actually a demon? Ow! Damn you little hairball!"

"We better have a talk with that geezer," Narita grumbled. "Trust him to be the one stupid enough to give something dangerous as this to Dakeru."

"He never uses his common sense..." Kaede sighed.

"Eh? Who you talking about?"

A new voice came from above them and the three looked up from their place, under a giant oak tree. The castle's blacksmith, Toutousai, was peering down at them on his favorite transportation: a bull with three huge eyes.

"Toutousai! Get down here you old man!" Kaede shouted. He merely continued picking his left ear.

"Uh, Toutousai-sama? Is this furball-hey! Ow!- really one of the Hyoneko tribe, or is Narita just being hysterical?"

Toutousai immediately stopped picking his left ear. He looked down and saw Kaede giving him her famous death glare and Narita narrowing his eyes at him. He shifted in his seat. He felt very uncomfortable.

"Eh..."

Toutousai's face was soon contorted into an expression of intense concentration. The three of them waited for an answer. Then his face came back to normal as he simply pulled out his left index finger out of his ear, which contained a few pieces of dry yellow substances on the fingernail. Now he felt comfortable.

"Oh sick!" Dakeru yelled when the blacksmith sprinkled them with his earwax.

"Eh...He probably is..." He said carelessly as he started on his right ear.

A large stone made contact with Toutousai's face. He fell off his ox and landed on the ground with a crash while Kaede brushed the dirt off her hands.

"What in the world were you thinking!" She yelled in his face while clutching the neck of his green robes.

"Eh?"

"Hyoneko tribe! That's the same tribe that tried to kill Lord Inutashio only a few centuries ago you idiot!"

"Eh... I found him in my ox's feedbox."

"I NEVER ASKED!"

"Wait, Kaede..." Narita hurriedly came up to the fuming Kaede to calm her down. "Hyonekos are not supposed to leave their territories ever since their own revived lord tried to kill them. Most likely the cat is just one of the commoners who wanted to get out of the cramped place. It's not uncommon. He isn't so dangerous if he's some commoner, even if he is a Hyoneko."

"But not many commoners are able to change their forms! Only youkai with a fair amount of strong youki can do that! And to think a feline! **A feline in the castle for Kami-sama's sake**! Not only that, but if that animal just happens to be a demon of high position, this could mean war! Those insolent cats would think we had captured him as a hostage!"

"Calm down, Kaede. There's no way this cat is some important youkai of the tribe. What royalty would sleep inside an ox's feedbox? Besides, if Lord Sesshomaru finds out, we can always say it was Dakeru's fault."

"Hey! OW!"

The cat had made a successful swipe on Dakeru's already bloody hands and was dropped onto the grass with a soft plop. He immediately got onto his furry feet and sprinted across the field.

"Holy shit! Come back here you little hairball!"

Dakeru ran after the cat, using his demonic agility to catch the running feline. Kaede only watched him with an exasperated look, wondering how to get rid of the pest, while Toutousai continued picking his ears. Narita, however, was wondering why it was taking Dakeru such an effort to catch a scrawny little animal. That cat was no ordinary demon. He watched the animal with suspicious eyes and even from far away, he saw the feline turn its gaze on him.

It looked him in the eye and suddenly Narita felt as if his muscles had frozen. His eyes went wide as he felt the strong youki of the silver feline alone made him freeze in his spot with fear. His sharp eyes took in the image of the small animal mocking him with his eyes as he escaped the hands of the half-youkai with ease.

And just as suddenly as it had happened, he was able to move again although he was now breathing rather raggedly. Kaede looked at him with quizzical eyes, but Narita ignored her and ran towards his fellow friend as he saw the yellow green eyes of the cat turn crimson with anger.

"Gotcha!"

Dakeru yelled as he slid on the glossy grass holding tight onto the squirming cat. It made him wonder why it took him such a long time to catch the furry feline, but he decided that he was just out of shape.

"You little hairball I'm going to shave your fur and throw you out of this land as revenge for my bloody fingers!" He muttered as he got off the grass. He then looked back as he heard the shouts of Narita to stop and something about letting the cat go, which made him too occupied to notice the feline's eyes had gone blood red.

"What? I can't hear- hey! Get back here!" The cat once more had wiggled out of Dakeru's grip and ran off. He started after it once more as the feline headed towards the castle gardens. Dakeru's light orange eyes turned a deep shade of purple. He had had enough.

He was about to release his demonic side inside him, when Rin came from behind the corner of the building.

* * *

Rin was feeling quite down. Not only was she ill, but her lord had just left her chamber in an uncharacteristic angry manner. She thought that her lord was angry at her for being weak to come down with such an illness. Now because of her, he will have to endure the fact that a feline was walking around in his lands. Maybe she was being too selfish. Wanting a cat in her chamber when she knew perfectly well how her lord despised them. 

She sighed. Once she had heard her lord leave the hallway of her chamber, she had quietly slipped out of bed to take a walk around the grounds. Maybe even visit the garden for a change. She had not gone there for a few days due to her illness, but it was hard for her to stay away from her favorite place in the castle grounds. She had received countless bouquets and gifts from visitors and suitors, but she preferred the delicate wildflowers over the erotic roses and lilies she had been given.

She was walking around the gardens, savoring the sweet aroma of the various flowers while heading towards Jinengi's hut, when she heard Dakeru's voice.

"What? I can't hear- hey! Get back here!"

She quickened her footsteps and came around the corner of Jinenji's house and saw an upset cat running away from a purple-eyed Dakeru. The feline made a beeline for her and jumped into her open arms, snuggling into her chest once more.

"Dakeru, what do you think you're doing? Chasing an innocent animal," Rin scolded when Dakeru had finally caught up.

Dakeru simply wheezed and tried to calm down the demon blood rushing around in his body while glaring at the shuddering cat.

"You've frightened him!"

He was about to ask if she haven't seen his bloody fingers yet, when Narita came up behind him.

"My lady, about the feline, I-"

"Is... everything...all... right?" A slow voice interrupted him and he looked to his right and saw Jinenji shyly peeking out of the hut.

"Jinenji!" Rin greeted her old friend happily as he tried to adjust his eyes to the bright sunlight.

"Lady...Rin... you shouldn't be out of...bed," the half demon slowly muttered.

"I'm quite fine. I just need a little bit of fresh air," she smiled.

The gardener blushed a deep hue of crimson like he always did around her and the irritated cat started to mew.

"Oh, Jinenji," Rin held up the cat towards half demon, who lowered his already hunched back to look at him closely, "isn't he beautiful?"

Jinenji looked into the cat's yellow-green eyes. His usually blank eyes were very cautious of the small animal as it narrowed its eyes and hissed.

"...It's no... ordinary... Will be dangerous... my lady..." He finally concluded.

"Dangerous?"

"... Please get rid of it... before anything...happens..."

"Jinenji's right my lady," Narita hurriedly added, "we should let it free before anything happens."

"Why is he dangerous?"

"Yeah, why is he dangerous?" Dakeru whispered beside Narita.

This caught Narita off guard. He was first astonished by Dakeru's stupidity. Dakeru had been serving the Inuclan for over two decades and here he was wondering why a Hyoneko youkai was dangerous in a inuyoukai's castle. And then there was the part he couldn't possibly tell his lady that Dakeru had brought a dangerous threat into the Western Lands without letting it slip into his lord's ears.

"Uh...well, he's not exactly dangerous...But uh... well, he's a wild cat my lady. He belongs in the woods and should not get used to humans and demons."

"I'm sure he's not a wild one. Wild felines are afraid of humans Narita, they're not used to them. This one here is quite tame. I'm sure he's used to demons and humans like us. Besides, wild felines are more brown or red in color, not silver," she smiled.

'Damn... curse that dumb toad to teach her every little thing!' Narita felt like strangling a certain half wolf youkai and a toad-like imp.

"That's why I'm going to let him free tomorrow morning." Rin continued in a quiet voice.

This was quite unexpected to Narita.

"You will let him go my lady?" He asked with a small bubble of hope forming inside him.

"Yes," she nodded, "even though he is no field cat, he must have had an owner before he ended up with Dakeru. If all goes well, he will find his way back."

"Er, why not release him now?"

"It's getting late Dakeru. I don't want to risk any dangers in the forest."

"Would...you...like some tea... my lady...?" Jinenji had appeared with a cup of steaming tea from his hut.

"No, thank you," she kindly refused, "I had better get going or Kaede will have a fit."

She leaned over and pecked Jinenji on the cheek, causing the half demon to blush even more crimson, and the cat to twitch its nose in an irritated manner.

"Gee, she never gives us kisses," Dakeru muttered under his breath. Narita jabbed him hard in the side.

"Dakeru? Are you all right?" Rin looked puzzled to find the half wolf demon withering on the ground, clutching his sides.

"Must be the mushrooms..." Narita smiled. "Shall we go my lady?"

* * *

Sesshomaru was in the castle's library. 

Reading a scroll.

...Well, trying to read a scroll while the happy mocking face of the feline kept popping in his mind.

He threw the scroll into the crackling fire. It was one of those useless scrolls which ranted on about land union anyways.

He growled loudly. It was bad enough most men were after her. But a cat? No, not a cat. It was no ordinary animal. Perhaps... a demon? A spirit in disguise?

Whatever it was, he was not willing to lose his ward to some feline disguise.

'If I can't have her, no one can.'

He got off from his seat and headed out of the doors.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Furry Nuisance  
****Chapter Four**

The night was deadly quiet. There was a full moon with a few stars. A little windy too.

He sat there. In that tall oak tree. Staring at the moon and pondering. He closed his eyes.

He heard them coming. Could smell them too. He could smell relief among them. He smirked. If they thought he would follow them easily, they were in for a surprise.

The rustling of leaves told him that they had arrived. One. Two. Three. Three soft sounds of landing feet below him.

He did not look down.

"My lord."

An agile cat youkai with fair turquoise hair was kneeling beneath him. Two more were behind her in the same position, forming a triangle. The cat who had spoken was the one with turquoise hair. She had a graceful body dressed in a combat attire with a small dagger strapped to her left arm.

Warriors of the Hyoneko tribe.

"My lord, please heed the words of your people. There are desperate calls for your return."

He said nothing. His lips were curled upwards and eyes still closed as he twirled an acorn casually between his fingers.

"My lord-"

"Tell me, Karang. Can you read?" His voice was dangerously soft.

"...Yes, my lord."

"Did you find my note?"

"..."

"Answer."

"Yes, my lord."

"Good, then you must've read every single word on that piece of paper right? Because I remeber writing it short and clear. Now, what did I write...Oh, I remeber!" He opened his eyes in an angry glare. "I wrote** 'Do not follow me or you will suffer dire consequences**.'"

He crushed the small acorn into bits with his index and thumb and littered the pieces onto the ground while getting onto his feet with one graceful move.

The wind seemed to blow stronger as he looked down on his three guards who were slightly quivering under his furious gaze. They could feel his murderous youki that was erupting out of him in vast waves, but they knew better to move an inch from their place. Unless they wanted to be decapitated like the last one of their men.

"Did you truly want to bring an end to your dear life?" He flexed his left hand casually as red stripes appeared on his arm. Swirls of the crimson color was snaking up his left forearm. He brought it up to his eye level.

"No, my lord." Few drops of sweat started to form on the cat youkai's forehead.

"My lord, please come back. Everyone is waiting for you," the smallest of the three spoke up from behind with a quivering voice.

He looked down at the small one with an indifferent expression. He had always been weak with tears from children. Heck, he was weak with crying children, women, and catnip.

He lowered his left arm and smiled. Immediately all pressure from the heavy atmosphere was gone, and it was once again a peaceful night with the wind rustling the trees while the moon bathed everything below it in a lambent silver light.

"Well, all right. I won't punish Karang." He plopped onto the branch again and closed his eyes. "For now. I'm so nice don't you think?"

"My lord, if my life is the key for your return, I would gladly present it," the warrior bowed her head. "Please, my lord. The snake tribes are attacking each day. Many had died and Shunrang-" She paused before continuing, afraid that her voice would crack. "Shunrang had passed away just the day before my lord."

He did not say anything. Instead he started to hum. The same tune the third of the four warriors had sung when she was young. The third that had died a painful, but honorable death in order to protect her people.

"Is she buried?"

"We had cremated her as she had wished, my lord."

"I always liked Shunrang. I'll make sure I avenge her. But I won't go back," he added seeing the hopeful looks on his warriors faces. "Not just yet."

"My lord, if this is about the human you wish to mate-"

"And what if it is?" He opened one eye to reveal a crimson orb staring down at them. They said nothing.

"She's not just some pathetic human you see her as. She is soon going to be your lady and you better show some respect. I refuse to sit on my ass and write letters and send presents like the other pansy fools when I know that canine will simply set them on fire. No, I'm just going to win her over. It has always been my dream to snuggle next to her soft form in my bed and see that warm smile-"

"What do you see in her my lord?" Karang's voice rang through the silent bamboo field. She could not care less that she had just interrupted her lord's day dreaming. "What do you see in her that makes her more important than your people!"

He looked down at her. He stared into her crimson eyes without a word; she did not blink.

"I'll tell you a little secret, Karang," he slowly whispered in his jolly voice. " Every single hebi that had wounded any one of my men are being slain. Oops, grammar mistake. Are slain. They're dead. Oh, and wait..." He closed his eyes once more and smiled widely. "Shunrang isn't dead. Oh good, she was always good at making me laugh."

Karang raised her head to look at her lord incredulously. Not dead? They had found her body at the entrance of the valley! It was impossible. And what's this about all of the invaders being slain? How would he know?

"How would I know?" Karang flinched; she had forgotten that he could read her thoughts.

"Well, let's see... How would I know..." He looked up in the skies as if he would find an answer. "Oh, yes! I'm special, remember!"

His jolly laughs were the only sound that rang through the bamboo trees around him. The others said nothing.

"That body you found was just a clay doll. That old hag Tsubaki must've made it." He muttered in his still happy voice. "Shunrang's hurt pretty badly. She's at the creek near the snake camp. Better get her now before the survivors of those pitiful worms pick up her scent."

"Anyways..." He straightened his position from his spot. "I'm not leaving yet. I am going to take Rin as my mate and I refuse to leave without her."

"As you wish my lord," Karang bowed her head once more. "We will be here when you need us."

"Yeah, yeah, all right. Lovely night we have today but farewell for now 'cause I'm going to go snuggle next to my lovely lady." He got up and jumped gracefully off the branch. When he landed on the grass in front of his warriors, he was not the tall powerful youkai anymore.

He was a silver neko.

He gave a curt nod, his yellow-green eyes gleaming, and took off, tail high in the air, headed for the castle. The three remaining youkais did not move as he streaked across the glowing grass under the moonlight.

* * *

"Kaede, have you seen Kero?" 

Kaede stopped in mid brush at her lady's question. The sun had set a long time ago and the moon was hanging in the pitch black sky. Kaede had gotten into a fit like Rin had predicted when she had came back to the chambers to find her lady gone, but she only scolded the smiling woman half-heartedly and helped her get ready for bed. She may be a grown woman of eighteen, but she was still a sweet child to her just the same. Kaede had been brushing Rin's fine river of hair when she had been asked about this Kero.

"Kero, my lady?"

"Oh, it's what I decided to call the cat." She giggled.

"I thought he was going to be released in the morning," Kaede said, rather annoyed.

"I am going to release him, but still... I don't want him to be nameless even if it is for a night."

"Oh... Well, no, I haven't seen him my lady," she started brushing her hair again as her eyes quickly darted to the doors. "Not since you brought him back to the chamber."

"I wonder where he went..."

Kaede hastily placed the brush onto the small dresser and bid her lady goodnight. She opened the door of the chamber to exit. A silver blur whizzed passed her legs.

"Kero!"

Rin laughed in delight as the cat jumped into her open arms, purring happily. Kaede scowled inwardly and glared at the sweaty two demons just outside the chamber doors. She quickly exited and shut the doors behind her.

"I thought I told you two to keep him in the sword shelters!" She hissed at Dakeru.

"Why are you only looking at me for?" Was his only reply between his unsteady breathing.

"We tried, but that little furball got the better of us," Narita grumbled. "He ran into the bamboo forests and it was already dark by then. We couldn't find him."

"Couldn't you just sniff him out?"

"Woman, do you know how thick those bamboo trees are?" Dakeru snapped.

"Kero, what's this?"

The three turned their heads and looked through the crack that was formed between the two sliding doors when they heard the curious voice of their lady. Rin was holding up a branch of long slender leaves in her free hand. The cat merely mewed in her arms.

"Siyouchi herbs!" Dakeru whispered. "I bet that furball knew we were going to kick him out, so he brought the leaves to have a reason to stay!"

"That little..." Narita growled. "He is going to be out of here before-"

"Before what, Narita?"

A cold voice bought the attention from all the three youkai/human who were huddled at Rin's door. Sesshomaru was standing behind them in his casual kimono, his armor and fur gone, but his two faithful swords, Tenseiga and Toukijin, strapped to his side.

"Er... Good evening, my lord."

He knew from the moment Dakeru started to sweat that something was up that wouldn't please him at all. Then he no longer was suspicious of his,nose which had been picking up the unpleasant stench of the feline, and his ears, which heard the soft mewing and purrs. His elegant eyebrows joined the slightest to show his anger and he passed his three servants to slide the door open, again a little rougher than he had intended.

* * *

**Quick note**: The Hyoneko tribe is not my characters. They do come out in the animation. For those who don't remember the four cat youkai siblings that were trying to revive their weird cat lord, well there is a part in the animation like that. The only character I invented that is a Hyoneko is the furball Dakeru really doesn't like. 


	5. Chapter 5

**A Furry Nuisance  
Chapter Five**

He slid the door open to find her again cuddling the annoying little animal in her arms.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

She looked a little confused by his entrance. He never came to her chambers this late.

His eyes slowly started to turn crimson as he glared at the feline. The cat also glared back, its yellow green eyes narrowing and turning to the slightest color of red. The animal tensed in case the youkai attacked, but he simply controlled his anger and his eyes turned back to its normal golden color. He took two quick strides towards his ward. The cat arched its back, hissing. He ignored the feline's little warning and grabbed the scruff of its neck quite roughly. She let out a small gasp of surprise at his uncharacteristic behavior as he carried it out of the room. He stopped at the door and threw the spitting cat at Dakeru, who once again sacrificed his hands to keep the cat steady.

"Leave us."

It was a short simple order, but powerful just the same. Kaede and Narita immediately bowed their heads as Dakeru started to struggle with the hissing cat. He closed the doors in front of them, leaving them to wonder why their lord would visit their lady in such a late time.

* * *

Rin watched her lord closing the door with a sharp snap. She waited nervously for his scolding. She felt terrible beyond words. Her lord was never angry at her before. Never. 

He did not get angry with her when she fed Ah-un, the two headed dragon youkai, some strange fruit that made them hiccup all day and make a terrible racket.

He did not get angry with her when she had volunteered to wash his fur and had accidentally shrunken it to one third of its original size.

He did not get angry with her when he had received a terrible cut in his new left arm as he tried to rescue her from some foolish tiger demon.

But she had angered her lord two times in the same day. For a cat. She was sure she was in for a scolding longer than Kaede's regular ones. Will he punish her by yelling? Banning her to her bedroom for the rest of her life? She shuddered at the thought of being confined so.

When he turned around, he could immediately smell her fear. She was not exactly terrified, but she was still quite tensed as if waiting for something terrible. She refused to look at him in the eye. It bothered him that he had made her frightened. Plus, her normally pleasing scent was mixed with the foul odor of the feline. He growled in frustration.

She flinched the slightest when she heard him growl. He was much angrier than she thought.

Oh great. She flinched. Just wonderful. First she refused to look at him and now she's flinching. Why was she so afraid of him?

He took a few steps towards her. She took a small step unconsciously back in fear.

No, he refused to follow his instincts, to smell her sweet tantalizing scent, to hold her soft form close to him, to coax his frightened ward. His pride did not let him to do so.

To Hell with his pride.

One moment she was a good few steps away from him, and the next moment she was in his arms, her small form crushed against his.

* * *

She didn't breathe. She did not move. Her heart was pounding loudly and she knew her lord could hear it. 

She had never seen her lord so emotional before. Sure, he had shown her the tender part of him a several times, but the farthest he went was stroke her hair ever since she had turned the age of eleven.

It was as if he was not himself anymore. Did the scent of the cat finally drive him mad?

She was half right.

He crushed her petit form to his firm large one savoring her sweet scent. He was merely doing this so he could get rid of the annoying feline scent from his ward. If he kept on embracing her, the stench would be gone and it will be replaced by his scent. He was not embracing her because her smell was so tantalizing, he was not embracing her because he had always wanted to, he was not embracing her because he loved to feel the warmth of her body. That was what the inner-self of him was saying. He knew better to believe it.

He stood there for a while. Her in his arms, him tightening his hold on her every few seconds. She was clutching his robe with her two delicate hands and she closed her eyes shut as she thought about her bleak future.

* * *

She still didn't move from her place. She felt safe in his arms. 

She knew about her illness. She knew it was not common. She knew it wasn't critical...

Yet.

She wasn't deaf. She heard the doctor speaking with Narita that day. Something about rare herbs and the chance of her getting stronger was slim.

It made little sense to her. She was perfectly healthy only three days ago.

What was wrong with her? Was the disease contagious? Will Kaede still be safe even though she spent most of her time with her? Or was it only her?

She wasn't stupid. She knew. They knew.

She could die if she wasn't careful.

But for now, she did not care. All she could think was that she was in his arms, so she would be safe.

Safe like the time Ah-un stopped the demons from getting her when she had tried to pick the precious herbs for a dying Jaken.

Safe like the time Jaken had protected her on the bridge when the man named Jakotsu had tried to strike her.

Safe like the time when Lord Sesshomaru had caught her in mid fall from a tall cliff seconds before she hit the ground.

She knew deep inside the disease will get the better of her. Slowly but surely.

But that didn't matter right now. She was in his arms, her most favorite place in the world.

It will always be her most favorite spot.

* * *

"No..." 

Kaede let out a small whisper. She could not believe this. She refused to believe it.

"Narita...please tell me that was a joke," Dakeru's eyes had turned into an empty hollow color. His left hand was holding tight onto the hissing cat's tail, preventing him from running away.

"It's the only way," Narita sighed as he eyed the cat with great dislike. "We either keep the cat or our lady dies."

* * *

When Sesshomaru had left the library, he was planning to visit Rin for a few minutes or so, just to see if she was all right. At first. 

When his nose caught her pleasing scent, his mind was filled of other thoughts. Most were inappropriate for the young.

And now here he was, holding her tight against him, savoring her warmth. His eyes wandered down her neck, where her milky fine skin was exposed to his eyes. He lowered his head and pressed his lips on the crook of her neck.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" She gasped.

He felt her shiver and he held her even more closer. She allowed him to lean on her and heard him sigh very quietly when she placed her arms around his middle.

"Rin..." No one would have noticed that the youkai's usually cold voice was outline with a tinge of concern. But being with her lord for over ten years have trained Rin well. She could detect that worried tone of his voice as he said her name.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?" She whispered.

He could smell her fear. It was not the same fear that he had smelt when she had flinched when he turned around. It was weak, but there was a definite difference. She was afraid of this mysterious illness she has. The illness that could bring her to her grave. She was afraid of death and he knew it.

He didn't understand her fear. She was down with this so called emotional sickness wasn't she? She was just lonely isn't she? So if he spends more time with her she'll be all right... wouldn't she?

He picked her up with his right arm. It startled her a bit, but she did not release her arms around his neck. He carefully carried her across the room and placed her on the bed. He undid the strap that held his swords in place and placed them on the foot of the bed as she lied down on her side, facing her lord. He looked at her with his golden orbs for a moment or so and climbed in.

She was surprised beyond words. First her lord had visited her late at night. Then he embraced her, now he was coming into bed with her? She could not help but to think of inappropriate things. Her cheeks turned rosy red. She was ashamed that she had actually hoped even for a second that her lord was planning to mate with her.

He could sense her arousal and see her cheeks turn a brilliant color of red. He smirked ever so slightly and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Not a child anymore, I see."

She turned, if possible, a deeper hue of crimson and gave a small pout while joining her eyebrows slightly. He chuckled quietly. There was that childish side of her. She rolled and turned her back against him. He was mildly surprised but pleased at the boldness of her actions. She knew when to play and when not to. Right now, she knew that it was time to play.

She was quite right.

He slipped his arms around her dainty waist and pulled her gently towards him. He could feel the sudden heat radiating off from her and knew that she had turned red again. He pulled her closer so that her back was in contact with his chest, and buried his face into her soft tresses once more. His large hand found her delicate ones and held it gently. She traced the lines of his hand with a childish interest and carefully held the slender clawed fingers.

"Good night, Rin," he whispered into her hair.

She smiled. When was the last time her lord cuddled her to sleep? Probably when she was still the young age of seven.

"Good night, Sesshomaru-sama."

Her eyelids closed slowly and once Sesshomaru was sure she was sleeping peacefully, so did his. The two drifted off into a deep slumber as the moonlight flooded through the window, bathing them with white light. A small gust of wind blew outside, causing the leaves of the oak tree near the large window to rustle softly. All came to peace as the leaves stopped rustling. For a while.

Then a tiny sound of movement could be heard from the trees. The small sound of the pit-patting sounds of paws on the thick branches were barely audible.

Sesshomaru simply ignored it as he slept in peace with his ward in his arms.

Both were oblivious of the menacing gleaming pair of yellow-green eyes in the leaves above.

* * *

He was sitting on the oak tree again. It had soon became his favorite place. He believed that the acorns were his friends and he would always talk to them, the three cat warriors watching him do so with scowls on their faces. But today, he did not feel like chattering like a squirrel to his so called friends. Instead, he was crushing them. 

He crushed the little nuts with merely his two fingers one by one. His lips were out in a small pout and his eyes were turning into a very light shade of red.

Pieces and bits of the hard shells littered the floor and the three youkai kneeling beneath him did not even bother to shake their hair free of the debris. Their lord could be the murderous powerful demon like his father had been if he wanted to, but they knew he was still a sentimental child nevertheless. They could tell he was brooding and it did not take a genius to know that he was moping for the lady who had captured his heart.

"Hmph... Stupid mutt..." he mumbled as he crushed another. He stared at the pieces of shells in his palm.

Suddenly, he brightened up as he realized something. He called down to his warrior. "Hey, Karang?"

"Yes, my lord?"

"Do you think Rin will like me better as my loveable self or the adorable cat?"

Karang was a little taken back to be asked such a question. She had answered so many questions in the past that could jeopardize the life of others as well as hers. But a question like this?

"I...do not know, my lord."

He grinned devilishly. He picked the last acorn from the branch and crushed it in his palm. He casually leaned his upper body forward and landed with grace in front of his warriors.

"I guess I'll just have to find out, shouldn't I?"


	6. Chapter 6

**A Furry Nuisance  
Chapter Six**

_"Jaken-sama!"_

_The toad youkai was shaken awake by a small human girl. He snorted a little as he jolted awake, clutching his staff turning his green head this way and that, looking for any signs of danger._

_"Jaken-sama, look!"_

_Maybe it was because his brain was not functioning very well after his nap or maybe it was because she had thrust the animal in front of his face too enthusiastically. Whatever the reason was, the confused demon yelled in surprise and threw a fit when he saw two huge yellow-green eyes._

_"Gack-!"_

_"Merow!"_

_The frightened animal pounced on his face and landed in the small child's arms. The toad youkai sputtered a bit, gasping for air and glared at the child._

_"Rin!" he scolded the girl as she began to struggle to calm the cat down."What is that thing?"_

_"It's a cat Jaken-sama," the girl stifled a giggle as the toad began stuttering in shock._

_"A what!"_

_"A cat."_

_"I didn't mean by that girl! I meant that- I mean that didn't mean- oh never mind! Just get rid of it before Lord Sesshomaru returns!"_

_"Rin can't do that Jaken-sama," she whispered as she hugged the animal closer to her. "Rin saved it from a bad youkai. Rin can't leave him again. What if he gets eaten?"_

_"That doesn't matter! Do you want Sesshomaru-sama to be angry with you?"_

_"...No... But Rin doesn't want the cat to be eaten either."_

_"It's a part of a food chain! If it's weak, then it will die!"_

_"That's horrible!" the girl cried as she hugged the animal tighter._

_"Bah! It's a dirty thing! The putrid smell itself is suffocating me! I bet it didn't even wash itself once!"_

_"Has Jaken-sama seen Sesshomaru-sama take a bath before?"_

_"Of course I-...Have...Erm... Come to think of it... Not exactly..."_

_"Does Sesshomaru-sama smell horrible, Jaken-sama? Even though you've never seen him take a bath? And you said yourself that you've been with Sesshomaru-sama for hundreds of years!"_

_"Well-... I-... It-... I'm a demon girl! I have a much more sensitive nose than you humans do! And I can smell that nasty odor from the animal!" he screeched in frustration. "Just get rid of him before Sesshomaru-sama returns!"_

_"Rin can wash him Jaken-sama. Please? Can't Rin keep him until Sesshomaru-sama comes back?" her eyes looked at him, pleading._

_He saw the tears beginning to form in the child's eyes. He knew she was about to cry. He also knew that if she did cry, whether she was hurt or not, his lord would punish him for upsetting her._

_"Please?" she whispered once more. The animal mewed in her arms._

_"...Oh all right! But he leaves at once when our lord returns! Understood?" He grudgingly permitted. He liked the little girl himself although he never admitted it to anyone and it did not please him also to see her upset._

_"Thank you so much Jaken-sama!" she pecked him on the cheek. "Rin will hurry and clean him!"_

_"Don't go too far all right?" he yelled after her as he rubbed the place ferociously where she had given him the kiss._

_"Hai-!" Her happy voice could be heard through the trees as she disappeared into them._

* * *

"Hai..." A small whisper escaped her lips. 

One of Sesshomaru's golden orbs cracked open. He was a little startled but pleased immensely to see Rin snuggled in his arms, her face facing his.

Her flawless skin seemed to glow under the soft sunlight creeping into the chamber through the window. Her chest moved up and down as she let out steady breaths. Her delicate pink lips were apart the slightest, which he was tempted to taste. He pulled her closer and she snuggled towards him in her sleep. He buried his nose in her silky tresses once more, but his nose soon picked up the scent of Jaken, his loyal toad youkai servant outside the door. He growled in irritation, but he gently left her side and headed for the door.

* * *

He was no where to be seen when she woke up. She wasn't even sure if last night wasn't a dream. She raised her torso to get washed, when she heard a soft meow. She looked down from her bed. 

"Kero!" She whispered.

The cat gracefully jumped up to the bed and rubbed his soft body on her lap. She smiled as she scratched the purring animal's furry ears and got off from bed to head for a bath. She then noticed Tenseiga leaning on the foot of the bed. Like the old times when her lord would leave early to tend some business and leave the sword for her protection in the hazzardous forests. She smiled softly and hugged the cat closer as she headed for the bath house.

* * *

"Ok, here's the plan." 

Narita was holding a stick in his hand, drawing on the soft dirt while Dakeru and Kaede leaned closer to listen. The three of them had woken up at the crack of dawn to come up with an idea of keeping the cat for obtaining the herbs without letting both their lord and lady know. It was not as easy as they thought. The sun had already showed itself and the shadows of the trees were already leaning to the other side of where it had been when the three had gotten together. Narita's shoulder-length chestnut hair was disheveled as a result of him clutching them whenever he couldn't come up with an idea.

"We say that this cat...is actually my cousin's..."

They waited for him to continue. Narita went silent again as he stared at the stick he was holding.

"You have a cousin?"

"No, Dakeru! It's a part of the plan!"

"Yes, we tell our lady that it's your cousin's cat and then what?" Kaede asked.

"So...I'll just say hand him over and I'll take him back to my cousin."

"I thought you said you didn't have a cousin."

"Argah!"

Kaede sighed as she watched Narita shake Dakeru by the neck of his houdoshi.

"All right enough!" Kaede separated the frustrated eagle youkai from the bewildered half-youkai. "We'll go with that plan. Then we can just lock him up in the sword shelters."

"I guess we have no choice seeing that our lady coming towards us." Dakeru muttered.

Narita frantically fixed his messy hair while Kaede straightened her wrinkled kimono as well as Dakeru's.

Their lady was her beautiful self. Her long tresses were fixed in a low ponytail, leaving it to rest on her left shoulder. She was wearing a casual light blue kimono with a lemon yellow obi. Anything that was different about her from last week was that she was slightly paler due to her illness. Her arms carried the purring feline, a leather band attaching a piece of parchment onto his neck.

"My lady!" Kaede practically yelled as Rin got closer to them. "You shouldn't be out in a chilly weather like this! Only in a summer kimono too!"

"I'm fine, Kaede," Rin assured.

"My lady, are you going to release the cat?" Narita nervously asked.

She nodded silently with a small smile on her face.

"Well uh, actually...The cat is uh, my cousin's...May I ask if I could take him back to her?"

"That's very kind of you Narita," Rin smiled as she headed towards the bamboo fields. "But there must be hundreds of silver nekos in Japan. You can't tell just by his appearance; it's best to leave the cat to find his owner. I wrote a letter explaining where he has been, so if all goes well his owner will write back to me that he is safe."

This was not good.

She stopped nearthe dense bamboo forest. She stroked the neko's silver head slowly and placed a soft kiss on its furry head. The animal let out a loud meow.

"Go." She loosened her hold on the feline.

"Wait, my lady-"

But the cat had already jumped from her arms and was streaking across the grass and into the bamboo forest where it disappeared from view.

Rin was staring at the bamboo forest quite wistfully while the other three behind her couldn't close their mouths in dread.

The cat was gone. The only hope for their lady's survival. The only access to the rare Siyouchi herbs.

Was gone.

Definitely not good.

* * *

Again as the vast moon showered the lands with soft silver light, he was in his favorite place again. 

He was in a good mood. Ecstatic in fact.

In his hands was a letter with neat handwritten Japanese characters printed across the parchment. He hummed quite loudly and fiddled with the branches of broad leaves while his warriors were once again kneeling beneath him with quizzical looks.

"Oh, hello my fellow men!" He laughed.

His enthusiastic greeting made them uncomfortable.

"Listen to this! 'I dearly wish that this lost animal has returned safely into your hands. I suggest that he should be taken extra care for he seems to be quite young in age.' Did you hear that? She cares for me! Yes! I knew she was fond of me!"

He let out a yell of joy and hung upside down from his place, his legs folded over a thick branch and his hair hanging like a river of silver silk.

"Ah, yes. The happy times..." he muttered.

"Does this mean we will be heading back, my lord?" Karang asked hopefully.

"Oh no, Karang." He smiled. "It says at the bottom 'Please send me your reply if the cat has returned. If there is no reply in a month, I will declare the cat lost and will search for him personally.' In other words, she wants a reply. I certainly do not want my precious lady worrying sick over me! ...Well, that doesn't sound too bad..."

"You are planning to write to her, my lord?"

"Nope. I hate writing. You know that Karang." He shook his head as his smile grew. "I am going to visit her personally."

* * *

Kaede watched in concern as Rin walked around the gardens. She really shouldn't be out of bed. Not after what had happened that morning. 

_"My lady, you look extremely pale," Kaede said as she helped Rin into her kimono. She couldn't help but noticing that Rin was shaking slightly. Her lady merely gave her a weak smile._

_"No, I'm fine. Really..." Rin stopped in mid sentence._

_"My lady?"_

_Rin let out a dry cough. She began to let out unsteady breaths as beads of sweat formed on her forehead and she started to shiver uncontrollably. Her knees gave in and she toppled to the ground._

_"My lady! Narita! Dakeru! NARITA!"_

_Narita and Dakeru, who had been given the positions of personal guards of their lady just the day before, came dashing into the chamber as Rin started to cough up specks of blood in Kaede's arms._

_"Dakeru!" Kaede roared at the panicked half-youkai. "Go get Lord Sesshomaru! NOW!"_

When Sesshomaru had arrived, Rin had become unconscious and he was furious to find out that she was getting into a much worser condition. He nearly slaid the doctor when he had said that he wasn't sure about the treatment. The terrified human had stuttered that the chance of her survival was getting much thinner. He had said that Siyouchi herbs, the dark green ones, were needed and when Narita had shown him the small branch of leaves the cat had brought the day earlier, the doctor had declared that these were too small to be used. The animal had deliberately brought young saplings. 

She had woken up by the sound of Narita and Kaede's furious whispers. Everything was a blur at first, but when her sight came to normal, she saw her lord sitting next to her bed. Once he noticed she had awoken, he stroked her forehead and left without a word.

She had asked Kaede endlessly from the moment she woke up if she could take a walk outside. Kaede knew how Rin had a adventurous spot and hated to be cooped up anywhere. She reluctantly permitted her to do so with Narita and herself following behind her, Dakeru being absent because of his training sessions.

Rin was amazed herself that she could actually walk. She had felt a slight migraine at first, but the fresh air was doing her some good. She took slow easy steps around the grounds and stopped at the tall oak tree, remembering the day she and her lord had first sat there together side by side.

She slowly walked towards the tree. It was a magnificent piece of nature. The handsome wood did not have strips of bark falling off. The branches were thick and sturdy, the twigs subtle and thin. Broad green leaves hung from every twig and branch and occasionally few glossy acorns could be spotted through the thick layers of leaves.

She stopped in the massive shadow of the tree for a moment and walked towards the trunk. She placed a delicate hand gently onto the smooth bark.

If her lord was a magnificent oak tree like this one, what would she be? A pitiful sapling? Maybe even a weed? Was she a nuisance? Was she just a burden?

"Actually, a flower."

A cheerful, strong voice came from above her. She looked up and was startled to find nothing. She took a cautious step back and ran into something hard. The sudden contact startled her even more and she almost lost her balance.

"Whoops!"

As the cheerful voice let out a laugh, a pair of strong arms shot out behind her. One arm wrapped itself around her dainty waist while the other supported her thighs.

"Now back to your question," the jolly voice said once more, ignoring the angry shouts from behind him, "A sapling? A weed? Nonsense. A beautiful flower my lady, is what you are."


	7. Chapter 7

**A Furry Nuisance  
Chapter Seven**

Sesshomaru was waiting for someone in his office.

For quite a long time.

He let out a growl of impatience. Jaken had hurriedly found him to inform him that the lord of the Eastern Lands was coming. He had handed him a letter that was scribbled with words that seemed to have been written down in a hurry.

This had irked him greatly. This was the first time for him in meeting the recently crowned Eastern lord and rumors had it that he had a very cocky attitude. That explained why he was nearly two hours late.

He got off from his seat and headed towards the boundaries of his lands, wondering if the unpunctual lord was roaming, lost in the vast forests.

* * *

"Now back to your question," the jolly voice said once more, ignoring the angry shouts from behind him. "A sapling? A weed? Nonsense. A beautiful flower my lady, is what you are." 

Rin did not move. She was flabbergasted to find someone who she didn't even know was holding her.

The speaker of the bright voice was a young youkai. His fine silver hair reached his mid back and two sharp triangular ears were perched on his head, a single ring dangling on the left one. His perfectly angled nose and big but sharp yellow-green eyes gave him a witty look, his warm smile giving him a kind one. He had a statuesque figure, almost as tall as her lord, and a well built body. He wore a casual kimono, one that was affordable for the commoners, but it was kept in a clean condition with no wrinkles whatsoever. Two swords were strapped casually on his side.

"Now that I look at you, you're much smaller than I thought..." he muttered his smile still in place. He lifted her up to her surprise and place his nose in her hair. "You still smell nice." He smiled wider.

"Get your hands off of her!" Narita had arrived behind him, his eyes flashing in anger. Kaede stood right beside him, bow and arrow in hand.

"Who? This beautiful lady here?" His smile never left its place as he tightened his grip and held her closer. She blushed a deep hue of crimson.

"Who are you?" Kaede tightened her grip on the strung arrow as she shouted out. "You are a foreigner here I can tell! You better get your hands off of my lady or I'll-"

"When's your birthday?"

Kaede nearly fired the arrow in anger when she saw the youkai fiddling with Rin's hair, asking her the question with an intense look. She was about to release the arrow when she saw Narita already next to him, his sharp talons that had grown on his fingers held deadly close to the youkai's neck.

"Leave the lady." His uncharacteristically cold voice.

"And what if I refuse?" The youkai's voice was equally nonchalant.

Narita's cinnamon eyes turned into a charming green color while the other's yellow-green eyes turned red. It was then when Rin interrupted them.

"Narita, wait." She turned to the stranger as Narita pulled back his hand quite reluctantly. "Are you Kero's owner?"

"Why, yes I am!" He happily turned his attention back to the petite woman in his arms.

"How would you know who the hell Kero is?" Narita asked in a low voice, his suspicions growing rapidly.

"You mean the adorable silver neko yes? He returned to me last night and I came all the way here from my lands to thank you, my lady." He smiled down upon the young woman, ignoring the scowling eagle youaki behind him.

"He has reached you has he? Thank goodness." Rin smiled softly in relief.

"You care very dearly for the cat don't you?" He asked with glee.

It was then when he felt an even colder glare boring through the back of his head. His lips curled into a small smirk. A large crack filled the air as the youkai suddenly vanished from his spot and an acid smell filled the area. Narita had also quickly jumped out of his place. There was a parched black hole in the spot where the newcomer had been just a few seconds ago. If Narita wasn't wrong, that was his lord's famous poison whip.

"Whoaho! That was close!" The youkai laughed from the oak tree, where he had jumped up with Rin still in his arms. "If that is how most inuyoukais treat their visitors, my father certainly described them very well with all the foul words he used!" He laughed again loudly as the stoic inuyoukai came into view.

"Please don't glare at me like that." His furry ears drooped in mockery. "I can't stand it when I'm in the center of attention."

"You!" Dakeru growled from the bottom of the tree. He had arrived from the training grounds, his two swords in hand. "Let the lady go!"

"Oh yes, I haven't introduced myself!" He simply ignored the angry half demon and swiftly landed on the ground with a terrified Rin still in his arms. Dakeru dashed forward to get the trembling lady away from him, but the sudden entrance of three quick figures prevented him from doing so. Karang was standing in front of her lord in her battle stance, the other two Hyoneko warriors likewise. The dazed but cold looking young girl to his left and the muscular demon to his right.

"As the Lord of the Eastern Lands and the first born of Lord Kiato, the one with the most adorable ears in the East and the gifted orb of the miko Midoru, I, Lord Kenshiro is at your service!" He proudly announced. "Oh, and this is Shurang, Karang, and Kourang starting from my left. Personal body guards and proud warriors of the Hyoneko tribe. "

"We never asked for your pathetic service!" Dakeru hissed at the ecstatic youkai as he eyed the three warriors around him.

"Good, 'cause I don't want to waste it for some weak half-breed."

"I'll cut off your ears and feed it to-"

"Dakeru."

Dakeru immediately stopped talking as he heard his lord calling his name. He reluctantly sheathed his swords, glowering at the youkai in front of him and took a step back. His lord came from behind him with his emotionless mask on. He stopped a good deal away from the the foreign demon. He did not bow like he would to most of the lords he met, but stole a quick look at the terrified human in the cat demon's arms. He turned his head to the left and gave a small nod.

Immediately a flash of purple light was aimed for the bulky cat demon. He jumped up in ease, but two more flashes followed him, causing him to retreat into the oak tree as Kaede notched the fourth arrow, ready to fire.

A chestnut blur made a vicious swipe towards Karang, but she defended herself from the sudden attack with her arms. She lowered her torso backwards and flipped herself over, barely avoiding the second attack aimed for her head and immediately joined her brother up in the tree. Narita was glaring at her from his place below, his eyes acid green and his weapon, a massive spear, in hand.

Dakeru had unsheathed his two swords and had made an aim for the knees of the young female youkai. She dodged it in a lithe motion, but he had put her off guard when he immediately changed his direction and made a swipe for her face instead. A thin line of blood trickled from underneath her left eye and shefurrowed her brows as she caught hold of a low branch and pulled herself out of his reach.

This happened all at once in a blink of an eye, but Sesshomaru's movements were much faster than any of the three. One moment he was a few feet away from the smiling youkai, the next moment he was right in front of his nose.

"Whoops!" The demon laughed as he simply took a quick step backwards, but it startled him when he no longer saw the dog demon in front of him, but felt his breaths on the back of his neck. A sharp blow in his sides was all it took for him to make the surprised youkai let go of Rin. Sesshomaru expertly caught her in his arms like he did many times before in the past, and put a good distance between himself and the demon.

In a matter of seconds, the svelte youkai was standing below the tree alone, his arms empty, and his warriors up in the tree above him. Sesshomaru was holding a relieved looking Rin in his arms, his armed and tensed men by his side, a good few yards between himself and the intruders.

The youkai looked mildly surprised. But he soon let out peals of laughter.

"So this is the skill of the famous lord of the West!" He commented. "Your skills certainly haven't changed over the years!"

The young demon lord couldn't control his laughter. Dakeru scowled as he gripped his swords tightly.

"Why the hell is he laughing? He lost his mind," he muttered.

It was when the demon had finally ceased his laughs into quiet chuckles when Sesshomaru spoke.

"You are a great deal late, Lord Kenshiro," his cold voice was carrying a note of anger.

"No, I'm not," he contradicted with a smile, "I've been in this very spot for the past three hours."

"You wrote the letter saying that you would meet me in my study."

"Oh, I did?" He looked up above him. "Karang?"

"Yes, you did, my lord."

"You mean, **you** did, considering that you wrote the letter... Anyways, I'm terribly sorry." The look on his face told the exact opposite.

The inuyoukai narrowed his eyes slightly. "What is your business here?"

"The lovely woman in your arms."

"The letter included vital information about the snake demon tribe."

"Oh yeah, that too."

He could have stood there and argued with this cocky young lord, but he felt Rin shiver from the cold gusts of wind. He held her closer towards him, letting her snuggle into his fur, and couldn't help but feel smug when he saw the cat youkai's eyes flash in disapproval. He turned his head towards Kaede, still keeping a keen eye on the foreign demons.

"Take our guest to a room." He turned and started heading for the castle.

Dakeru lowered his swords as he looked at his retreating lord. That pompous, cocky maniac was being so disrespectful, and still his lord planned to treat him as some welcomed guest! He was astonished of his lord's generosity.

"Oh, could I get a room right next to Lady Rin?" The excited cat demon called out from his place. In other words he wanted the only spare bedroom left in the Northern buildings of the castle.

Sesshomaru stopped his footsteps. He turned his gaze towards Kaede once more.

He was even willing to let that bloated aristocrat spend his days right next to his lady? Dakeru felt a bubble of pride in his lord swell up to an immense size inside him. He was floating in that bubble of respect happily chanting his lord's name.

Sesshomaru returned his gaze to the castle in front of him.

"Lead him to the Southern rooms."

The bubble popped, leaving Dakeru to drop down to the vast abyss of disappointment and doubt.

* * *

Sesshomaru's footsteps echoed across the sleek wooden floors. Rin stared at the fur she had buried her face into and nothing else. She felt ashamed to be caught by her lord in the arms of some stranger. Not that she had a choice. But still. 

He was still furious to find his ward in another one's arms. He had even gotten angry at Dakeru when he had given Rin a piggyback. It just irritated him to see his hands supporting her thighs. Reminded him of a certain monk he knew.

But to see her in some cocky bastard's arms... He almost lost his cool. He held her closer.

"Gomenasai, Sesshomaru-sama."

Her voice was so soft that he couldn't even catch her words himself with his demonic hearing. He raised her higher so her head could rest on his shoulder. He looked down at her and saw her deliberately burying her face in his fur.

He was confused. Why was she apologizing? He was never the sentimental type. How the hell was he supposed to understand human emotions?

He was pondering over what her words of apology meant when she spoke again.

"He just grabbed me from behind and he refused to let go," she muttered in her still soft voice.

The inuyoukai then understood why her body was so tense, her voice soft. She thought he was angry with her.

He said nothing, but quietly slid the door of her chamber open. He closed it behind him and gently laid her on the bed.

"Get some rest."

He turned around curtly and headed for the door.

"Sesshomaru-sama."

He stopped at her call of his name.

"Thank you." Her soft voice was heard.

The hell? She was thanking him. For what? First she was apologizing, then she was showing gratitude.She was confusing him even more.

"He frightens me. I wouldn't be even able to be in a room in the same building as him." She looked up and smiled.

He saw her genuine smile of thanks from the corner of his eye. Oh. So she was thanking him for separating the brat from her.

Sesshomaru's mind was working rapidly inside him. She was frightened of the nekoyoukai?

Frightened can be another word for hate... She is replacing the word "detest" with the word "frightened" because she is too polite to harbor such strong feelings of dislike towards someone who she has just met. So in other words, she hates the neko youkai. It does sound a bit obstinate... But still...

He almost let out a small sigh of relief but caught himself from doing so. He merely turned his head and headed towards the door.

"Get some rest, Rin. I will send Kaede in."

He reached the door and closed it shut behind him.

She smiled once more and gently lied onto the soft sheets, snuggling into the pillows and waited for sleep to claim her.

* * *

The wind blew across the grass, making them shiver awake from their slumber, carrying a few loose petals of wild flowers across the fields. The sky was a brilliant color of blue, a few clouds floating leisurely here and there and soft rays of sunshine showering the plains below. The voices of the commoners were heard across the borders of the castle. Children laughing and squealing, women chattering happily as they did their chores, men joking with each other as they worked in the fields. His sensitive nose picked up the scent of various demons. And to his surprise, a few number of humans too. 

'The great Sesshomaru keeping humans in his lands? Huh...'

He let out an audible sigh as he watched the scenery from his window. He was slumped on the low windowsill, his ears drooped and mouth in a pout. The only parts of the body that moved were his eyes, which he would occasionally follow the annoying butterfly that had been hovering near him for the last hour or so, and his mouth, where an occasional blow of wind would escape from to make the butterfly flutter away again. But the irritating insect would always come back. Finally, after fluttering around his head, it landed onto his left ear. He started twitching his ears, but the butterfly still refused to take flight.

His warriors behind him would occasionally give him a glimpse of concern, watching their young lord moping with a butterfly on his ear, but they knew better to interrupt his brooding. It had been a whole day since he had announced himself, but still he had not been able to pay Rin a second visit nor was he summoned from Sesshomaru. In other words, he was quite bored.

"I wonder where she is..." He mumbled as he moved his fingers towards his ear. His slender fingers grasped the struggling insect's delicate wings.

"Definitely not here, my lord," the bulky warrior, Kourang curtly answered.

"Thanks, Kourang," he said in a dry tone. "I haven't noticed."

His stunning yellow green orbs searched the glossy plains of grass. Few butterflies here and there(his still struggling in his fingers), several foxes lurking in the bushes, shadows of birds passing across the ground. Then he saw the two maids in autumn yukatas, whispering at each other as they carried a basket full of wild berries and herbs.

"I wonder why lady Rin has this sudden craving for berries all of a sudden," one whispered to the other.

"Maybe she's pregnant?" The other giggled.

"Yoko!" Her friend chastised. "Do not speak of such things!"

"Gomen," she giggled again, but her mouth soon turned downwards in a confused frown." I wonder why Lady Rin isn't accepting any suitors. I mean, I just saw the lord of the Southern lands, an incredibly charming fox demon I have to say, coming out of the lady's chamber and by the looks of the poor demon's face, he's been turned down too."

"You don't know, Yoko?" Her friend was looking at her with a queer look on her face.

"Know what?"

"Why Lady Rin is refusing all her suitors."

"Well, I just said I wondered why didn't I?"

"Come closer."

The two girls stopped walking as Yoko huddled closer to her friend, anxiously leaning towards her mouth to catch her words. He too, looked keenly at them, his ears unconsciously twitching.

"From what I've heard..." The maid stopped for a moment to look around her.

"Well?" Yoko impatiently tugged on her robes. "Hurry up with it. I'm dying to hear!"

"Hush!" Her friend lowered her head. "You **will** die if we are overheard."

"Sounds like a dangerous risk, but I'll take it."

"Well, from what I've heard..."

He began to feel a little frustrated when the maid started to make unnecessary pauses. It was like being tied onto a chair with a delicious piece of catnip out of reach.

He had heard that Rin was always turning down suitors, but he had no idea why she was doing so. This was his great chance to know what kind of men/youkais she disliked and here this maid was keeping him at bay of this new piece of information. The butterfly struggled more fiercely when he unconsciously pinched its wings harder.

"Go on," Yoko seemed a little impatient too.

"Lady Rin isn't accepting any suitors because..."

"Because?"

He felt the sudden urge to strangle someone.

"Because she harbors feelings for Lord Sesshomaru!"

He almost crushed the subtle insect in his hands. His face was blank. No smiles, no smirks, no glittering eyes. Nothing. It was as blank as a fresh sheet of paper. Except for the fact his yellow green eyes were starting to turn a deep shade of red. He had given thought about it of course, that Rin was smitten to her lord, but to actually hear it out loud was enough to drive him mad. The warriors behind him could feel the uncomfortable waves of displeasure erupting from their lord.

"What?" Yoko yelled out loud, causing her friend to quickly cover her mouth.

"Shh! Didn't you just hear what I said?"

"Gomen," she muttered, "But what- I mean- how do you know?"

"Well, it's obvious isn't it?" the maid shifted her basket of herbs. "The way she always smiles when her lord comes in-"

"Lady Rin is always smiling."

"I know that! But she's always there for him! There just to support him and such! Who wouldn't love the companionship of an attractive young lord?"

"I don't know...I mean Lord Sesshomaru is really cold. He scares me with that expressionless face on."

"Yoko, you've only been working here for what? Two years? I've been working here for five," she proudly said. "I've seen him smile once."

"Really? What was it like? Was it the kind that sends shivers down one's spine?"

"No," her friend giggled. "It was very faint, but I saw it all right. It was when Lady Rin gave him her first cup of tea she brewed. She makes lovely tea, you know. And then she was in cloud nine for the whole day. Always humming and smiling to herself."

"Well, no use if only our lady desires our lord. What about Lord Sesshomaru?" Yoko asked in a quieter tone.

He leaned more to the windowsill, ears twitching.

"I...I don't know Yoko."

"Kasumi!" Yoko cried out as she straightened herself. "Here you were, making me all tense and interested and you don't know if he feels the same for her or not?"

"Shh!" Kasumi pulled her friend down. "I **told** you not to say it out loud!"

"Well, what do you think? I never was good with these things."

"I told you I don't know," she sighed as she started walking. "Lord Sesshomaru is as expressionless as a rock. But he definitely cares for her. I mean, I saw him just the other day carrying Lady Rin to her chambers. And he's been around the Northern buildings where Lady's chambers are for quite a long time now. His room is quite far from there..."

"This is so romantic," the young girl giggled as she trotted to catch up with her friend. "I hope they get together."

"Me too, Yoko. Me too."

The girls giggled a little more and hastily ran all the way to the Northern buildings when they received a stern look from an elderly maid.

He watched the two maids scurry through the door, his face resting on his hand.

He smirked.

He gracefully got onto his feet, his two swords clanging gently, his fingers still holding tight onto the struggling butterfly.

"Well, fellow friends..." His warriors stayed in the still kneeling position as the bright rays of sunshine illuminated their lord. His tall, lean figure formed a vast shadow behind him. "I say we pay our lovely lady a visit."

He swiftly turned around and headed for the door.

"Oops, almost forgot."

He lifted his hand to his eye level to look at the butterfly. It was still making futile struggles. His right pupil turned crimson, contrasting greatly with his yellow eyes.

"Tell me where my dear lady is."

The insect immediately stopped struggling. It stayed still as if it was dead and so did the warriors behind the neko youkai. This was only their second time seeing their lord use his gifted eye.

Everything was still. Until the butterfly started struggling again.

"That's not too far is it? Why, thank you." He smiled warmly and finally separated his index and thumb, releasing the insect. It tumbled to the ground, its delicate wings in tatters.

He opened the door with gusto, scaring the wits out of a group of maids passing by.

"Whoops... So sorry." He grinned, showing off his sharp fangs.

The women shuddered, but bowed in respect and hurriedly went down the halls.

"And off we go, to meet our dear lovely lady."


	8. Chapter 8

**A Furry Nuisnace  
Chapter Eight**

"My lady, your berries and herbs are here."

"Thank you, Kasumi, Yoko. Would you leave them outside?"

The two girls looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces and then looked at the closed doors of their lady's chamber. Since when did their lady liked to be cramped in a room?

"Lady Rin," Kasumi called out. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No," she answered, "No, everything's fine."

The hurried answer merely made the suspicion towards their lady grow between the two girls, but they knew better to be nosy. They may be close to their lady, but they knew Lord Sesshomaru didn't approve of any servant being disrespectful towards their superiors.

"We'll be located just down the hall if you need us, Lady Rin," Kasumi said as she nudged her friend to start leaving.

They heard their lady whisper her thanks behind the closed doors and hurried along to get on with their chores.

The hallway was silent for a moment or so before the closed doors slid opened just a bit. Rin poked her head out into the hallway and carefully gathered the basket of plants and quickly closed the door behind her.

It was early noon, the day after the Eastern Lord had arrived. Kaede had left to ask Jinenji for some herbs that morning and still hadn't returned. Jaken was supposed to be in front of her door as a substitute for Dakeru's shift as a personal guard under Sesshomaru's orders, but he had hurriedly left his place when he was informed that Ah-un was again for the third time of the week, lured to the villages by the kids with a cluster of grapes. The sun was shining brightly through the vast window and every now and then the wind would blow to cause the silk curtains to flutter. The only thing that was different about the room from yesterday was the small lump under the bed sheets.

After choosing a few wild berries from the basket, she cautiously made her way to her bed, where the small lump lay under her sheets, moving this way and that.

She slowly slid the sheet off of the bed to reveal a tiny bear cub. He was not even a month old, judging by the wee teeth he had, and was clearly frightened. He let out a low whimper when he tried to stand on its short legs. His left hind leg was bandaged with a white cloth, which was now stained with crimson blood.

"Shh..." Rin slowly stroked the folds under its neck and he immediately became quiet. Over ten years of spending her life in the forest had taught her well of the wild animals and plants that flourished in it. She offered the small cub a cluster of gooseberries, which she learned that was a favorite treat for most bears. However, the cub only took one, chewed noisily, and refused to take another after wrinkling its nose.

'That's strange,' Rin thought as she tried another futile action of offering berries to the stubborn cub, 'They usually like these...'

"He's not weaned yet."

Rin nearly dropped the fruit she had been holding. She quickly looked around her and to her immense surprise, she found the young Eastern Lord hanging on his legs on the thick branch of the oak tree next to her window. He flashed her a smile and with great agility and grace, jumped onto the windowsill.

"He's not weaned yet," he repeated as he lowered his right leg onto the tatami mats. "Not used to solid food in other words. Good guess though, my lady. Gooseberries are their favorite. Oh, and may I?" He arched his left eyebrow, asking her permission to enter the room.

"Oh, yes," she blushed lightly, thinking how rude she had been to not invite him in the first place, as he gracefully lowered himself into the room.

"Lovely room you have," he said as he freely looked around. "Fit for a beautiful lady like you."

She blushed again.

Silence claimed the room as Rin tried her best to tend the cub while feeling the uncomfortable stares from the Eastern Lord roam around her body.

"What do you think I should do?" She finally mustered up her courage to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Eh? Oh right!" He was soon by her side, a little too close in her opinion, looking at the frightened cub over her shoulders. "Where did you find him?"

"He was limping through the gardens," Rin replied as she tried to remember what Jaken had told her to do when men were making uncomfortable contacts with her body(If she recalled correctly, he had said "Stab him in the eye." but that was certainly out of the question), "Probably got caught by the traps the hunters set up."

"Well, shall we take him back to his mother?" He whispered softly into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Yes, we should," she answered as she moved away from him to pick up the whining cub. "But I don't know where his mother is."

"Then all we need to do is find out don't we?" He flashed her another toothy smile and took the protesting cub from her arms. He held up the squirming cub to his eye level. His left pupil became crimson while it stared deep into the beady eyes of the struggling cub. This was a little tougher than the butterfly due to the size of the animal. He practically glared as a few veins around his left eye started to pop out of his skin. He heard a small intake of breath from the lady beside him.

Finally, the animal stopped its futile struggles and stared back. He never broke the eye contact between himself and the bear and a moment later, the young cub was squirming again and a small smirk was playing upon the young lord's lips. His pupil turned immediately turned back to its normal black color and the veins hid themselves under his lightly tanned skin once more.

"Not far from here is it little fella?" He smiled as he lowered the cub into Rin's open arms, "His mother dwells in the forest just around the garden."

He waited for a moment or so for her to ask him about his eye, like everyone did when they first met him. His little magical eye he liked to refer as instead of the foul words he had heard from others about it. He remembered spending most of his time in the secluded dojo as a child, silently crying when everyone around him pointed at him, called him foul names, and even abused him.

He wondered how she would react. Pass out in shock like his mother did? Wince like his warriors? Spit out insults like everyone else?

He waited, but the lady said nothing. Her smile never left her face as she stroked the cub's furry head. She finally opened her mouth to speak, but the words that came out from her lips were quite unexpected to him.

"Thank you, Lord Kenshiro." Rin gave him a soft smile of genuine gratitude as she hugged the cub to her chest.

"...Ken..." He whispered as his eyes shone softly at her, "You can just call me Ken."

He watched the fair lady cuddle the cub with care. He couldn't help but to think that she would be a wonderful mother. Hopefully a mother for his kits.

He stared at her petit form. He never liked those big glamorous demonesses. Too demanding, too rough, too... perfidious. But humans. Delicate, humble, and in Rin's case, pure. He wanted to protect this delicate woman, to keep others away from tainting her innocence. He wanted her to look at him and him alone, like he did for her. But in order to get what he wanted... he would have to slash a certain inuyoukai out of the picture.

"Come on, there's no time to waste!" He suddenly cried out. He gently pushed Rin towards the window.

"Pardon?" Rin looked at the young lord with a confused look on her face.

"Don't you want to bring him back to his mother?" He asked as he got onto the windowsill.

"Yes, but..."

"But...?"

"Sesshomaru-sama told me not to leave the chamber," she whispered as she lowered her eyes onto the animal in her arms, "Kaede will be worried and Jaken-sa-"

He silenced her by placing a finger onto her lips. He lowered his torso from the windowsill so that his mouth was right next to her ear.

"Relax my dear lady," he whispered, "He won't know. Just a quick outdoor walk."

"But the maids- Kasumi and Yoko- and Jaken-sama will be back soon and-"

"Shh..." He was amused by her small ranting like an excited child. Just as he remembered her. "The toad won't be back soon I promise you and as for the maids..." he turned his head towards the window. "They won't know that you left by the window, would they?"

"Lord Kenshiro-"

"Ken."

"Ken-sama we're-"

"Just Ken."

"We are on the third floor of the castle," she looked at him with pleading eyes. "I won't be able to make it down."

"Then I'll carry you down."

With that he bent down and gathered her small form in his arms, earning a surprised gasp from her and a squeal from the cub in her arms. She unconsciously moved closer to him after noticing the alarming height. He could feel the smile tugging onto his lips.

"It'll just be a secret between the two of us," he said as he looked down at her, "You, me. Me, you. Just the two of us. And the little runt we have here."

She felt him bend his knees and gasped in surprise once more when he suddenly leaped into the air. The strong rays of sunlight blinded her eyes and the welcoming wind blew her hair towards his face. He skillfully cut his way through the mass of leaves and branches as he landed on the tough branch of the oak tree that stood next to the window. He waited for a moment to let her collect herself and calm down the squawking cub while he lowered his nose into her soft tresses. She felt him shifting her closer to himself much more than necessary and blushed a deep hue of crimson. Another frightened whimper from the cub reminded him he had business to attend to and starting leaping from tree to tree with a small smile tugging onto his lips.

Blurs of green flashed beneath her and the sound of the passing wind was calming her down. She held the cub tighter and finally relaxed, enjoying the cool breeze whipping her face. The last time she ever got to feel so free and wild was almost a year ago. Jaken had made sure that she was acting properly like a lady even months before their arrival of the Western Lands. No playing with flowers, no riding Ah-un, no singing, no running, no catching fish, and on and on. She had spent her last few months of traveling in the forest waiting patiently for her lord to come back from his travels while reading scrolls Jaken had magically got his hands on and practicing proper manners. She wasn't used to it even now, for it was her nature to run carefree and shout in excitement. But a long lecture from Jaken told her that she would have to behave if she didn't want to bring disgrace to her lord.

But now she forgot all that. She wasn't the Lady of the Western Lands anymore. She was just a carefree woman of eighteen, hoping to bring a cub back to his mother. No need to keep her thoughts to herself. No need to stay quiet. No need to sit with her two legs folded beneath her, which would give her terrible leg cramps. She let out a small laugh of glee and surprise, when she noticed that they have almost arrived at their destination in less than a minute.

"Hold on." His voice whispered into her ear.

Suddenly, she felt herself plummeting to the ground at an amazing speed. A few loud rustles of leaves and a soft thump of landing feet told her that they have arrived.

She waited for a moment or so for him to let her down on her feet, but soon found out that he had no intention of doing so.

"Let's see..." He shifted her position so that she was sitting on his left arm, her torso leaning into his chest. He took a few cautious sniffs in the air and took off deeper into the forest. He heard a distance shout to his right and saw out of the corner of his eye, an elderly woman run out of a hut near the garden. He recognized her as the woman who was supporting Rin the day before. What was her name...Kato? Kaidi?

He inwardly shook his head, wondering why he was even interested in learning her name when he heard Rin intake a sharp breath. He stopped in his tracks, forming a cloud of dust near his ankles, when he saw the immense bear lumbering ahead of them.

The bear stopped and looked back at them with beady eyes. It suddenly turned around and let out a menacing growl.

"Um...I take that you are his mother?"

Rin looked up to see Ken smiling at the bear. Was he talking to the bear in front of them that was capable of ripping them in two if she wanted to? The animal blinked in surprise.

"We brought him back to you. Aren't you going to thank us?"

He finally let Rin down from his arms. She carefully lowered the excited cub to the ground. It made a beeline for the larger bear with a few limps in between as his mother likewise ran towards him. The two nuzzled their noses and the mother let out a few grunts in relief. She looked up at the two in front of her. She nodded her head a few times.

"She said thanks."

The two bears soon made their way into the forest, the cub still making a racket of squealing in delight. Rin watched the two with a relieved smile as they hid themselves behind the thick trees.

"Well, now that's all done," He looked at her, smiling, excitement dancing in his eyes. "Won't you care of going around a forest tour with me?"

He could see the yearning in her eyes at the thought, but she shook her head. "I must get going Ken-sama. Kaede would be probably back by now."

"I really don't prefer titles, too stuffy in my opinion, but if you still wish to call me with it, I won't argue with you my dear lady. But tell me," his smirk grew wider,"when was the last time you went outdoors? Not just for a short visit to the gardens or some little walk. When was the last time you roamed around in the forest, like you used to in the past?"

She lowered her eyes to the ground... Not even wondering how he knew about her childhood, but pondering.

"You've been in a shell too long, my lady," he gently held up her chin with his right hand, so that she was looking at him straight in the eye, "A shell of a proper lady with the polite manners and controlled emotions. The shell that would not shed a tear when you were upset. The shell that would not yell when you felt frustrated. You're cooped up and I know you're banging from inside it to be let out. We can break that shell, just for today." He held her slender hand in his large one and slowly stroked her fingers. "I'll help you. No one would know." He smiled widely. "Again, this will be a secret between the two of us. Me, you. You, me. No little runt this time to know about this secret."

She stared down at her hands, which were captured in his, lost in thought. She could follow him and have the time of her life just for a few hours. Or she could refuse and head back for the castle, where she would have to stay in bed with Kaede scolding her endlessly for leaving without any notice.

A beautiful smile grew on her lips as she looked up to the young lord. It was not the fake ones she would plaster on her face for courtesy, he noticed. It was one full with life and gratitude. His heart skipped a beat as he realized that the love of his life was finally opening up to him.

"I...would love a tour, Ken-sama," she breathlessly said. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy.

He grinned broadly and tapped her nose.

"And a tour it is, dear lady."

* * *

"My lord." 

He heard Jaken's voice from outside of the closed doors.

"Lord Taeru is here."

"Invite him in." He nonchalantly answered as he read the pile of scrolls before him.

A tall youkai with bright orange hair and a couple of sleek tails stepped into the room. The fine kimono blended well with the light tan he had and his piercing green eyes did not waver from the inu youkai before him.

Sesshomaru stood up at nodded in respect. Likewise, a nod was returned.

"What brings you here, Lord Taeru?"

The fox demon's many tails twitched slightly in irritation as he answered. "I just got a letter from my general."

Sesshomaru said nothing. Lord Taeru took that as an indication to continue.

"He says that the snaketribes had attacked my lands two days ago."

"That's not very unusual, Lord Taeru." He answered nonchalantly, but Jaken, who was waiting outside the door, could tell that he was a bit irritated by the fact that he had been disturbed for such dispensable information. He turned his gaze towards the pile of letters and contracts that were waiting to be signed.

"I know, Lord Sesshomaru." The demon's tail switched again. "I only came here to warn you that your lands could be in danger too."

"Are you doubting my abilities of protecting my lands from a few reptiles?" His golden eyes flashed.

"I'm not saying the snakes are a threat. I'm saying the creatures that got rid of them are."

This was something Sesshomaru hadn't expected. He turned his gaze back to the fox demon to see a dark look on his face.

"They are starting to expand their territory," he continued, "According to my general, they recently attacked the Eastern Lands too."

Sesshomaru felt something stir inside him. That blasted cat demon was leisurely spending his time here on **his** lands while his people were being attacked? Not that he cared for the neko youkais. Never did, never will, especially since they had tried to kill him and his father in the past.

But since he **is** the lord of the Eastern Lands...Maybe he will leave sooner than he planned? The small hope inside him stirred once more.

"But it's unusual, Lord Sesshomaru," the fox demon came closer to him, "The snake tribes...There were hundreds of them. Thousands even. But they were all killed. A massacre." He hesitated glanced behind him as if tensing for an attack. "Every single one of them were found dead the very next day they encroached into my lands."

"Perhaps there was turmoil between themselves. Again, not unusual." Sesshomaru coldly answered back, but something was tugging his mind.

"Yes, yes...Not unusual. But how they died is unusual."

"...Continue."

"The corpses were all around the forest near the boundaries of my lands. The Eastern Forest. My men investigated them and..." the demon scrunched his eyebrows slightly. "They reported that their insides...the organs... were gone."

Sesshomaru's left eyebrow twitched very slightly.

"It's as if something went inside of their bodies, ate their organs, and came out again. There were no smells of blood. Everything reeked of death and their rotting cropses. We can't make out what murdered them," he turned his gaze to the crackling fire in the fireplace, causing the orange light to bring shadows over his face. "The snake tribe attacked my palace the day they arrived. My men had successfully driven them out, but the foolish demons merely retreated into the Eastern Forest. And when my soldiers tracked them down an hour later...They found their lifeless bodies already decaying in the bushes."

Lord Taeru looked back to the demon lord in front of him. "We have to warn the other lords. We need to find out who's behind this. These creatures are endless in number. As long as we don't know their identity, they can be a major threat to us. We need to track them down."

Silence engulfed the room once more as the fox demon stared at the demon lord in front of him with an intense look. The fire slowly began to die as a small gust of wind came through the open window.

"...I will have to ask you to contact Lord Motoshi of the South while I contact Lord Kenshiro," Sesshomaru said as he sat back down again. "We will meet at Bokusenou's glen in three days time."

"Kenshiro?"

"He's the new lord of the East."

"Oh yes...Lady Rin has mentioned him once." Sesshomaru noticed the many tails twitch again as the fox demon headed for the door.

'She has mentioned of him?' A small ember of anger seemed to burn inside of him.

"By the way, do you know where she is?" Lord Taeru stopped at the door, which he had already opened halfway. Sesshomaru could see Jaken still standing next to it. "I just want to say a short goodbye."

"She should be in her chambers like I have asked her to," he coldly answered.

"Really? I stopped by on the way to find it empty."

It was like someone had poured fuel onto the ember. A fire soon roared inside him. He heard Jaken's nervous squeak and hurried footsteps headed for Rin's chamber. He growled. A certain toad was going to spill blood tonight.

* * *

"It's beautiful," Rin managed to whisper after staring at the scenery before her. 

"Yes...Beautiful." Ken muttered behind her, his eyes glued to her face and a smile curled on his lips.

They were standing on the cliff of a nearby waterfall. The strenuous roar of the water was full of life as it fell down more than nine hundred meters into the flowing current below, splashing the sun-baked rocks near the banks. Trees were encircling the waterfall as if concealing it from the world beyond, although it was doing a poor job of doing so because of the alarming height of the cliffs. The clear water sparkled under the sunlight and the plains below the cliffs were covered in brilliant flowers.

He didn't think that a waterfall and a few flowers would make her this excited. From all his past experiences, he thought the only things that pleased women were jewelry, robes, or whatever garments that would show off their finincial power. He was immensely pleased by her reactions and amused of the innocent part of her.

"Would you like to go down?"

She looked back at him with a smile. He took that as a yes and gathered her in his arms again, noticing that she no longer tensed and expertly bounded from cliff to cliff. He landed on the damp banks of the rivulet and carefully laid her down onto the moist bank. He wished he had at least gave her time to gather her shoes, but soon noticed that she did not need them, seeing her casually avoid the rough stones. He watched her make her way to a huge stone near the bank and sit at the edge, dipping her feet into the cool water.

"Ken-sama," she looked back and called for him with a cheerful smile, "would you like to join me in the water?"

He merely jumped over the bank and swiftly landed in the water, soaking his hakama as he splashed around. He trudged through the water and stood in front of her. He was eye-level in this position, for his height was as same as her seated height on the stone. He needed to make something sure. He wanted an answer to the annoying question that had been nagging his mind ever since he met her. He did not smile or laugh like he did, but stood emotionless. She was a little startled from his sudden change in behavior, but she no longer blushed under his gaze.

He stared and she did likewise, not saying a word. The only sound that could be heard was the roar of the waterfall and the sound of the gentle current of the water. He waited for her thoughts to plague into his mind, like it did with others. He figured out on the day he got his gifted eye that he would be able to know one's thoughts, just by looking them straight into the eye. Their thoughts would just flow into his head as if they were saying it out loud. It was something very useful and he used every advantage of it. Now, he wanted to get to know the lady before him better, to understand how she views the world, how her mind worked, but mostly how she chose her men.

But for some reason he couldn't quite point out, he heard nothing.

He blinked a couple of times, trying not to show the mild shock he was under, and tried once more. Nothing happened.

'Did I lose it?'

His mind was swirling with panicked thoughts. This special ability never went against him when he tried to use it. So why now when he desperately needed it? Hadn't it worked a few times before on this very same woman? He quickly looked to his left and discovered a squirrel, which was busy with an extra hard acorn. His left pupil turned crimson in a flash and he could soon understand what the critter was thinking about: what it could do to crack open the damn acorn.

He looked back at the lady before him, who looked utterly confused. His eye worked fine on the squirrel... Why the hell not on Rin?

"Ken-sama?" She gently touched his hand. "Is something wrong?"

He looked at her, finally realizing that anyone who was watching him frantically shaking his head and staring at squirrels(His left pupil changing its color every few seconds) would definitely take him as a nutcase.

He finally forced a smile and pulled her forward. She let out a small gasp of surprise as he caught her in his arms and set her down in the water.

The cooling sensation of the liquid brought back the memories of her old days, when she would catch fish with Jaken, watching him sliding and jumping to catch them.

He could sense her excitement and anxiety of being in the water. He felt the sudden urge to help her break through the shell she was in, to help the woman release her care free spirit into the welcoming arms of nature. He couldn't help to replace his facade into a satisfied smile as he grabbed her hand.

"This way, my lady," he laughed as he splashed through the rushing current. "I'll make sure you have the time in your life."

* * *

Karang stood motionless in the heart of the bamboo forest, listening to the approaching footsteps behind her. The rough sound of landing feet told her her brother had arrived. 

"How is she?" She asked.

Kourang picked a leaf out of his hair as he answered her in a tired voice.

"She wasn't there when I arrived. Kyoto told me she went out to train."

Karang let out a small sigh. "Let's take that as a sign that she is well."

"Aw... I didn't know you actually cared for me o'ne-chan!"

A bright voice, quite familiar to Ken's manner of speaking, rang through the forest and immediately a young female was riding on Kourang's wide shoulders. She had short flaming red hair and mischievous pair of eyes and her casual training suit was armed with a few daggers. She giggled as she felt her brother tense in mild surprise.

"Yo, Karang o'ne-chan! Kourang oni-chan! Beautiful Shunrang at your service!" She laughed as she heard her brother chuckle and her sister sigh again.

"I've heard that line before," Shurang said as came down from the bamboo trees to greet her sister.

"Where's Ken-sama?" The excited girl asked as she practically climbed all over her brother as if he was a tree.

"Hold on Shunrang," Karang pulled the girl down from her brother. "You need to answer some few questions."

"Fire away, sister."

"Where were you after you were attacked?"

"At the bank. Seriously, how could you guys think I was dead?"

"Correction, Kyoto said you were dead so we believed him," Kourang muttered. The four siblings sat down in a circle as Shunrang continued to talk.

"I was on the roll! Just a little twitch of my finger and boom! Lightening strikes down on those worms and the next foolish batch were coming upon me."

"There was a highly large amount of the demons Shunrang," Karang narrowed her eyes at her sister. "I thought I told you not to go out alone."

"Sorry o'ne-chan..." Shunrang lowered her head.

"And don't go training until all your wounds have healed," her sister continued. "You are the one with the most powerful nature essence within your blood. We can't afford to lose you."

It may have sounded like she was only caring about a weapon in matter, but Shunrang knew it was how her sister spoke when she was worried. She smiled brightly.

"Hai!"

"And then what happened at the bank?" Kourang leaned forward. "Lord Kenshiro told us that he sent...Warriors..."

Shunrang's eyes widened slightly and she bit her lower lip. "Yes...I think he did..."

"What do you mean 'think he did'?"

"It was...I don't know...strange? And disgusting at the same time?"

"Speak so we understand you, young one."

"I was at the banks of the Koi River...The one near the snake camps I mean..." she nervously glanced at her older sister. "No, I wasn't going to ambush them," she quickly added, seeing her sister's eyes narrow once more. "I just injured my leg! I couldn't move even if I wanted to! I was going to head back for our camp...When I met that...Thing..."

"Thing?" Kourang raised his eyebrow.

"It was...Black."

"What was black?"

"That... Thing."

"What thing?" Shurang asked in an exasperated voice.

"It was what killed the snake tribes."

"Elaborate on that."

"The 'thing'... It was... It looked like ink."

"...Ink."

"It was a blob of black ink that had this white circle on the top - I guess it was his eye- and that could move...Incredibly fast."

"How did this 'ink' kill them off, Shunrang?" Her younger sister, Shurang, rolled her eyes.

"They were numerous! The first one just popped out of a bush beside me and landed on my knee. It freaked me out, but once his eye looked straight into mine, I saw Ken-sama and I got this feeling he sent them."

"He sent you blobs of ink?" Kourang asked skeptically.

"Scary blobs of ink!" Shunrang shouted, excitement glistening in her eyes. "Those blobs of ink just leaped into the camps and went down their throats!"

"Calm down, Shunrang," Karang moved to sit beside her. "The ink went down the snakes' throats?"

"And then they came out again! Those demons were freaking out! Once the ink went into their mouths and down their throats, they started to yell and double over.Then he would cough and the ink would come out and then...He would just...collapse."

"...Is this how all the snake tribes were killed?"

"I think...These other group of inks just carried me all the way back to the land gates."

Silence claimed the four neko warriors before Karang whispered quietly to herself.

"Mochitsu..." She muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Those are called Mochitsus..." Karang rose to her feet. "Lord Kenshiro must have made allies with them."

"He made allies with blobs of black ink?" Shunrang looked shocked at the news.

"Yes...Which is good news for our people, but how he even got to make contact with them is a wonder."

* * *

**O'ne-chan** - older sister 

**Oni-chan** - older brother

**Dojo** - gym

For those who are wondering, who is the eldest of the four warriors, the answer is **Kourang**. Then **Karang**, then **Shunrang**, then **Shurang**.


	9. Chapter 9

**A Furry Nuisance**  
**Chapter Nine**

"And that's a rainbow trout, and that's a rock lobster, and that's probably a...Leaf...Crab... or maybe just a leaf," Ken sheepishly smiled as she picked the foliage from the surface of the water.

The bottom of her kimono was drenched and the top damp, but Rin nevertheless was laughing her heart out as she explored the creek. The water was full of life. Fish boldly swam by her ankles and frightened crabs hid under small stones while lobsters lazily crawled over the gravel. The sun was already halfway across the sky, indicating that it was already mid-afternoon. Clouds had started to form and the wind had gotten a little stronger than before. Ken could smell a shower of rain coming its way.

But he couldn't care less as he watched Rin having the time of her life. He wondered how Sesshomaru even succeeded in warning her of the dark side of the world, the greed and wants of human beings and the disgusting lust of demons, and still protect the innocent part of her soul. What amused him the most was that she seemed so content in being in the cool water, for watching the fish wander around her feet, for being able to take in the sweet aroma of flowers. A sudden idea crossed his mind and his smile widened.

"I want to show you something," he said as he gently lead her out of the water. "It will help you my dear lady...More than you can ever imagine."

She was puzzled by his words, but decided to follow without comment. The two left the rushing water behind them and headed deeper into the woods. The trunks of the trees seemed to become a lot more thicker in width and taller in legnth. More bushes of wild berries were seen and it was getting quite difficult not to trip over the large roots of the trees.

He finally came to a stop near a bamboo forest. It was similar to the ones near the Western castle, but the bamboo here were much thicker and the leaves were longer. He looked back at her and pressed his finger to his lips indicating not to make a sound. He gave her a reassuring smile and winked before he gestured her to stay at her spot while he cautiously made his way into the bamboo forest.

She could see him skillfully avoiding contact with the tall trees as he made his way to the clear opening of the forest. It seemed as if someone planted the trees around the perfectly round clearing.

He finally got to his destination and flashed a smile towards her through the gaps of the trees. He then took a deep breath and let out a piercing screan.

She couldn't help but to cover her ears in surprise as he continued to yell. It was more like the hissing noise felines made when they were threatening someone, but twenty times louder. She was baffled. Why did he quietly slip into the clearing like that if he was going to make such a racket anyways?

His scream was strenuous, but short. He waited, his ears twitching slightly. Then his lips curled upwards and he quickly made a motion towards her to tell her to come. Then he kneeled onto the ground.

She obliged to his gesticulation and cautiously made her way through the gaps of the trees. She let out a gasp of surprise when she saw the creature standing right in front of the kneeling lord.

The creature looked somewhat familiar to someone she knew. Pale green in color, short height, and thin limbs. She soon realized that this creature looked awfully like Jaken. She couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her lips.

Its wide yellow eyes turned to her direction. She stood motionless, knowing that movement would only startle it. The eyes turned back to the demon in front of him, as if asking him of her presence.

"Yes, I know this is quite a surprise. I'll introduce you to her." He stood up and nudged the little creature towards her. "Rin, come meet this little one here. Don't be scared. He won't bite."

She slowly came towards him and kneeled down so that she was eye level with the small creature. It looked at her with wide, curious eyes.

"He's just two years old in human age. A little cutie, don't you think?"

She carefully held out her hand towards the greenish creature, which accepted it after staring for quite a while. Its small feet cautiously made its way towards her, the yellow eyes wide in childish interest. He waddled towards her kneeling form and climbed into her lap, admiring the silky feeling of the fine kimono she wore.

"He's beautiful," she whispered as she held him close. "What's he called?"

"He doesn't have a name," Ken said with a grin, "but this little kiddo is called a tree imp."

* * *

Kaede was quickly making her way towards Rin's chamber when she saw her lord swiftly going into the room, a nervous Jaken with a huge bump on his head right by his heels. 

"Oh, dear Kami," she whispered as she made her way into the room herself. She made a sharp turn and bumped into a solid chest.

"Gomen, Kaede," Narita muttered as he collected himself. He was carrying a bouquet of wild flowers in one hand and a vase in the other.

"Are those for Lady Rin?" She asked as she grabbed his sleeve and started pulling him down the hall towards Rin's chamber.

"Yes, but have you seen her? She's not in her chamber...Did Dakeru take her somewhere?"

She could feel her lord's youki becoming stronger and more murderous with every step she took. "We'll have to find out, won't we?"

She finally arrived at the open doors to see Sesshomaru glaring at the empty bed and the open window. She heard Narita taking a few sniffs of the air and saw his brows joining together in displeasure.

"What is it?" She whispered.

"It's that damn cat..."

It was all he had to say to make her understand why her lord was so furious.

"My lord, she was here when I left I swear..." Jaken was mumbling as he hurriedly looked under the bed as if he was expecting Rin to pop out.

"Find her, Jaken." His voice was nonchalant, but all three servants could hint anger in his tone. "Send her to me when you do."

"Hai, my lord!"

Jaken scrambled out of the room, tripping his feet while doing so, and left the other two in the room with the infuriated youkai.

He swiftly turned around and walked right past the two, but came to a sudden stop when Kaede blocked his path.

"Kaede!" Narita hissed as he tried to tug her out of his way. He knew that his lord had gotten soft over the last few years, but blocking his path when he was in his infuriated state? Kaede was pushing her luck too far.

"My lord, I apologize sincerely for my disrespectful behavior, but I must ask for a few minutes of your time." Her voice was firm and determined. A sure sign that she wouldn't let him go in peace.

Sesshomaru's face was impassive as ever.

"It is about Lady Rin."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"She's...Under pain, my lord."

This startled both men in the room, but Narita was only the one who showed his shock.

"Lady's illness? I thought Jinenji-"

"No, he doesn't have the herbs. He only gave me the leaves to ease the blood. My lord," she turned to the stolid youkai before her, "Lady Rin is getting weaker by the day. We may lose her if her health doesn't improve."

He was impassive as ever. But mixed emotions of worry and a twinge of fear swirled inside of him.

"But...But she was fine this morning!" Narita stammered in disbelief.

"She may smile for us, but her health simply attenuates with every minute that passes and she is completely aware of it, my lord." Kaede slightly bowed her head. "The maids are saying that she's leaving her meals untouched and I can hear her coughing at night. She's been staying in her room as you have asked her to, but I assure you, it will not improve her health. She's isolated, my lord. She's been alone ever since she arrived at this castle. Narita and Dakeru can't always be next to her. Dakeru has soldiers to train and Narita has meetings to attend. Jaken and Ah-Un is frequently absent because of the patrols of the borders. I can't stand beside her all the time for I have responsibilities as a miko, my lord."

Narita lowered his eyes onto the floor, realizing what Kaede was trying to say. Sesshomaru said nothing.

"The company Lady Rin truly wishes for is you, my lord."

Still, he remained silent.

"You may not realize it, my lord, but she yearns for the companionship she recieved before she arrived here. She's a free woman at heart. The castle is more close to a prison than a home to her." Kaede let out a small sigh as she recalled her lady the previous night. As she remembered how Rin was smiling as she talked about the past of traveling with her lord even while taking in ragged breathes and shivering endlessly the whole time. "She talks about nothing but the times she used to accompany your travels."

"Maybe..." Kaede paused, stealing a glimpse of her lord's impassive face. "Maybe...My lord could...Spend some more time with her?"

All three remained silent. Narita was thinking that Kaede was hoping for the impossible at such a busy time(He had heard about the chaos in the Eastern forest), Kaede hoping that he would at least consider the matter, and Sesshomaru's face was still blank when a voice came from behind the door.

"Lady Rin likes animals."

"Dakeru." Narita looked at the sweaty half-demon, who was poking his head through the door, returning back from the training sessions.

"She likes animals, my lord," he repeated as he entered the room. "I guess she's used to the wildlife she's been living in. Bears, cats, foxes, deer, DOGS... Lady seems to have an affinity for FURRY animals."

Kaede had no idea what Dakeru was talking about but Narita soon got his point. He thought it was a very bold thing to even suggest the idea, but something told him that it could actually be a solution to the problem.

"She also likes animals of SMALL sizes..." Narita added as he stole another glimpse of the lord's face.

Both males could tell immediately that their lord knew what they were hinting by the look of the narrowed pair of golden eyes.

"No," he simply stated and he walked out of the room without another word.

"Damn..." Dakeru muttered as he watched Sesshomaru head for his office. "Do you think he'll do it, Narita?"

"I doubt it..." His friend answered in an exhausted voice. "But you never know..."

"What on earth are you two talking about?"

Kaede waited for someone to answer her question, but both of them merely looked at each other with worried looks as they heard distant crashes of ornaments arranged in the halls as their lord's youki expanded gradually.

"You don't think he'll be angry at us when he finds out about the cat do you?" Dakeru inquired in a meek voice.

"He won't be angry. But, he would be **incensed** when he finds out the culprit who brought the dirty furball into the castle, which is **you**, but unfortunately for **me**, we **both** will suffer," Narita scowled. "Plus, if he finds out that the little hairball is actually the same cocky aristocrat that is parading in his castle, which he probably is, we won't only suffer, but I can foretell, my friend, that we will indeed end our dear lives with a very excruciating death."

"...He isn't...Jealous... Is he?" Dakeru uncertainly asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru? Jealous of some feline?"

"Who is receiving Lady Rin's unwavering attention? There is a big possibility," Kaede growled, a little irritated that she was left out of the conversation.

"Well uh...So as long as Lady Rin turns her attention back to Lord Sesshomaru, we won't die... Would we?"

"Probably won't but there still will be immense pain involved," Narita grumbled.

"That piece of information just made the idea of persuading Lord Sesshomaru until he throws us out of the castle much more exciting."

With that, the half demon grabbed a startled Narita by the back of his hudoushi and practically dragged him out of the room, sprinting down the hall calling his lord's name as the eagle demon growled curses with each encounter of steps.

Kaede stood dumfounded, but soon let out an exasperated sigh and left the room to search for Rin herself.

* * *

"-And then Shunrang jumped off the ceiling and ended up crashing into the stable instead." 

Rin quietly chuckled as Ken finished his story. Curiosity had won the tree imps a long time ago and the majority of the creatures were encircling the grinning demon and laughing woman. They tugged at his silver hair and some imps had already climbed onto his back, trying to pull on his furry ears. Many youngsters were pushing others and letting out a not so menacing squawk, trying to get their turn of sitting in Rin's lap while stroking the fine silk.

"They seem to know you very well," Rin smiled as she saw the demon wince slightly from the constant tugging of his ears.

"I've known these little pranksters from my childhood," he chuckled. "They're pretty close to me."

A short silence followed as he quietly watched Rin letting the toddlers fidle with her hair and examine her fingers. After a moment or so, he spoke again while absent mindedly played with a young imp.

"Would you do me the honor of listening to my humble story, my lady?"

Rin looked up to see Ken smiling at her, the playful glint in his eyes still there but joined with a look of what she detected as sorrow. She quietly gave him a nod and a placid smile.

"My own parents abandoned me as soon as they saw my left eye," he started, scooting slightly towards her side. "It was twisted. Have you seen a parched river during a drought? That was how my eyelid looked like. The veins stuck out and my entire pupil was a sickening turquoise."

"My father was the Lord of the Eastern Lands back then. Once he refused to accept me as a son, Karang was given the responsibility of looking after me," he continued, now casually sitting next to her side. "But she was a warrior in training back then. She had other important matters she had to intend to, so I ended up being under the care of various royalties and occasionally other warriors."

"Hm..." He looked up into the sky, his ears twitching. "How would have others thought of me if my own mother thought I was hideous? They usually ignored me or tried to scheme how to end my life with a painful death. They knew that Father had no intention of letting me inherit his place as lord once he retired. My left eye wasn't only grotesque, but it was blind. No one was expecting a half-blind scrawny demon rule the second largest regions of Japan."

His right hand gently touched her left. He slowly entwined his fingers with hers and felt pleased beyond words when her own slender fingers moved to accommodate his.

"It was raining when one of Father's concubines tried to murder me. She sent soldiers to finish me off, but I transformed into my smallest demon form and ran for it. I was soaked and dirty from therain and I was on the edge of collapsing...When a kind little girl found me."

He looked at her and smiled.

"She bathed me and fed me. Kept me warm until night. I had to leave her side soon after her guardian came back, but my health had recovered to a state where I could actually travel."

He slowly rubbed the the smooth skin of the back of her hand with his thumb.

"The next morning, I encountered a shrew demon who was busy prowling around a small child. The girl was terrified, couldn't move while the demon leered at her, ready to pounce. The girl reminded me of the child who took care of me the previous night, so I quickly transformed into my human form and attacked her predator. I managed to injure his leg before he escaped and the girl simply ran away as soon as the shrew did without any signs of gratitude."

"I was about to leave when a priestess came into view. I thought she was going to purify me, but instead, she thanked me for saving the child. She then noticed my eye I was trying to hide with my bangs and said that an evil spirit of some kind was nesting on my left eye and offered to purify it for me."

"I didn't believe all the spiritual gibberish she said, but she did heal it quite well. The parched skin became smoother and the turquoise pupil slowly turned into a dark ebon color. My vision was suddenly two times wider than before and the only trace that was left was the thin veins visible beneath my eye. The priestess said that she couldn't heal it perfectly, but she changed my useless eye into one of my greatest weapons."

He could see that he had piqued her interest. A small smile grew on his lips as he leaned closer to her. The imps too had become quiet and watching him with wonder, though they didn't understand a word he said.

"My left eye gives me a vision of places that are not even present to my senses."

A quiet of astonishment escaped her lips.

"I can communicate with creatures which are impossible to tame."

The imps cooed in awe.

"Well, that's what I think anyways," he sheepishly said, breaking the intense atmosphere of the audience. The imps chattered in excitement. "I don't exactly know what it does. It's just useful at certain times when I need it."

"Do you know why I'm telling you this?" He quietly asked.

His voice had become small and she had almost missed it because of the loud blabber of the imps. He looked at her intensely, trying to see any realization in her eyes, but failed. She merely looked at him quizzically. Suddenly she let out a small gasp and he detected a glint of recognition in her eyes. He eagerly waited for her to speak.

"You look very alike to Inuyasha-sama!"

This caught him quite off guard.

"Who?"

He hid his disappointment but the name seemed to ring a bell to him.

"Sesshomaru-sama's brother."

Then he remembered.

"Oh yes...I've heard of him..."

How couldn't have he had not? Karang was always talking ill things about the half demon along with his brother. He vaguely remembered her saying that Inuyasha had attacked the Eastern Lands...Or something like it. He couldn't really tell what Karang was talking about due to the unnecessary snide remarks she made while talking and the occasional curses Kourang would spit out.

"The silver hair and the ears... You look very much like him," she giggled.

"But I bet I have cuter ears than him," he playfully pouted and the imps chattered again.

"May I touch them?"

He looked at her eager face and couldn't suppress a smile. He lowered his head towards her.

He felt the soft fingers gently fondle with his furry ears and he could get a good whiff of her fragrant scent. He closed his eyes and purred as she stroked the pink flesh of the ears.

He suddenly felt two tiny hands replacing the delicate ones and felt his ears being yanked. He let out a painful hiss and looked up to see Rin laughing as more imps climbed onto his lowered head chattering non-stop as they tugged on his ears. A smile curled onto his lips.

* * *

"My lord! It's only for a day!" 

Dakeru's whining voice was getting on his nerves.

"No one would know! Only the three of us!"

The constant persuading and slightly high-pitched voice of Narita was bugging him too.

The two had been following him all over the castle. Through the hallways that lead to the western buildings, the paths to the gardens, the stables, the library, the dining room... And they were still hot at his heels. Narita was rambling at his right and Dakeru was doing the same at his left. He had successfully ignored them for the last few hours, but he had reached his limit.

He abruptly stopped in front of the gates of the castle. The guards of the gates immediately straightened their posture and got ready to open the gates. Narita and Dakeru stopped talking and waited for him to speak.

"Enough."

The cold, sharp but low tone told them it was best to shut up. The two demons merely bowed and stared numbly after him as Sesshomaru went through the gates of the castle, ignoring the akward bows from the gate keepers.

"...Do we have to do this?" Dakeru meekly muttered to his companion.

"This was your idea," Narita snapped and he took off after his lord again.

Dakeru sighed and followed suit, knowing that they were either going to die by annoying his lord or go through a agonizing death later when the secret of the feline was released. The two guards looked at each other as they watched the two dash towards the village where their lord was heading.

"One yen saying that Dakeru and Narita-sama are not going to come back alive." One guard grinned.

"Two yen saying that they do come alive but will be missing a few limbs." The other chuckled.

And the bet was on.

* * *

"Well, we've got to be going now."

Ken stood up, lowering down the small imp from his head and turned to Rin. She nodded with disappointment in her eyes, but carefully pulled the small imp from her lap and stood up. The imps again broke into loud chatters, this time in displeasure, but soon jabbered away as a few imps came out from the forest of trees with a long branch, which looked silmilar to a bamboo, carried high over their heads. It looked similar to the branches on the trees around them with narrow, flat, green leaves. The imps marched towards the two and halted, raising the slender branch higher.

"They want you to take it." He smiled as he gently nudged her.

She smiled and gingerly took the slender wood and the imps chattered enthusiastically again. The sky was a light gray, the dark clouds making the atmosphere outcast and Ken could hear the deep rumbles of thunder far away.

"Arigatou, everyone."

Another chatter. This time as a goodbye.

He took her hand and slowly led her out of the clearing and into the thick woods. The two trotted lightly in silence hand in hand as the muffled rumble of thunder came closer. He stopped abruptly and looked back at her to see a puzzled Rin.

"There's a little place we can stay near the waterfall to escape the rain," he explained with a smile. "Why don't I carry you there? Since the storm is just a few miles away and we have quite a distance to cover."

She nodded, her lips turned upwards like his and was not startled when he picked her up this time. Soon he was accelerating through the forest as the first few rain drops fell down to the earth.

"Hang on!"

He shouted with a laugh as he ran, the wind becoming a mere whizzing sound. She clutched onto his nagagi tightly, feeling secure as the rain started to pour.

The roaring sound of the waterfall reached her ears and she gasped as he leaped directly into the waterfall. She didn't feel the water seeping into her kimono at once, but she soon felt the silk gradually becoming damper.

They were in a small cavern. The tremendous waterfall was blocking the entrance, playing the role of a water door. Drops of the clear liquid dropped from the ceiling into small puddles.

She was still staring at the glistening walls with awe when he plopped onto the floor, leaning against the wall. He beckoned her over with his hand and when she obliged, he carefully pulled her onto his lap. Before she could even resist, he had his arms wrapped around her small form, safe from the wet puddles on the rough ground. A blush spread like a wildfire across her cheeks and she stayed stiff as a rock in her place. She hugged the tree branch closer.

"Relax, my lady," he cooed in her ear, "I won't bite. We'll have to stay here for a while so why don't we use this chance to get to know each other?"

His voice was still friendly, so she decided to loosen her muscles a bit.

"So you've been traveling with Lord Sesshomaru as a young child?" His voice echoed in the small cavern.

"Yes, he gave me a second life and a home," she answered.

"Oh? I heard he was a heartless ruler." His voice was full of doubt.

"No, he's really not," she contradicted immediately. "He was very generous to give me a second chance and he even saved others."

"Others?"

"Countless others. Kaede and I are one of them."

"The woman with the eye patch?"

"Yes; She was hurt severely trying to save her village from a group of bandits," she said. "Sesshomaru-sama healed her wounds with Tenseiga and gave her a home at the castle."

"Really...And what about that half-demon?"

"Dakeru is Takemaru's half brother," she explained. "His older brother was a human, but he was revived and tried to kill both Sesshomaru-sama and Inuyasha-sama. When Dakeru found out, he thought he was responsible for his brother's actions, so he came into the castle to work as a swords master."

"And the bird?"

"That would be Narita," she smiled. "His family had been working for the inuyoukai clan for the last few generations."

"Actually, I was wondering where that enormous spear suddenly popped out of when I first encountered him."

"Oh, I've asked him of it before," she answered with a giggle. "He blushed and said it was actually his bill."

"A bill that long?" He wrinkled his nose. "What is he, a woodpecker?"

It was just a little thought that had been lingering in his mind, but he found out that it had earned him a good few moments of seeing her laugh heartily.

"No, he's an eagle demon," she chuckled. "Kaede told me he also used to be a warrior but retired because of the wound in his left hip."

"Hm...So there are humans and demons living together in the castle? Does Lord Sesshomaru really approve?"

"Yes, he does." She answered with no hesitation.

"And the village too?"

"Lord Sesshomaru wishes for his lands to be inhibited with demons and humans living in harmony," she firmly said.

"Well, that certainly is a surprise considering that your lord was infamous for being a ruthless murderer-"

He felt her body tensing and he abruptly stopped.

"...But the past is not important," he weakly laughed. "It's the present we have to be loyal to, don't you think so my lady?"

"Was he really?"

He looked down at the woman who had turned her gaze towards him.

"Did he murder the innocent?"

"Well...Many, yes."

She said nothing as her cinnamon orbs looked down.

"He lead the troops of the west during the great battle against our lands," he quietly murmurred. "Wiped out three villages alone, spared mercy on no one, not even the children. He especially focused his ambushes on human villages."

She clutched the branch closer.

"Once, he released his demon blood during a battle between a group of high priests. Well, you couldn't even call that a battle because as soon as he released only a third of his real identity, their bodies were mauled in a terrible state. He fed the remains of the corpses to the centipede demons."

"You should be careful too," he said in an empty voice. "His demon blood might get out of control one day and the next moment-"

"Could we return to the castle?"

He looked down at her trembling form. She refused to meet his eyes and stared at the floor.

"It's still drizzling outside, my lady," he answered quietly.

She said nothing but stood up from her seat before he could even stop her. He immediately regretted what he had just mentioned.

"Well...I wouldn't be a proper lord if I didn't escort a lady back to her castle, would I?"

He carefully gathered her delicate form in his arms, trying to contain his joy when she leaned into his torso, and leaped through the waterfall.

* * *

Kaede didn't bother to try to keep herself dry as she quickly strode across the gardens, calling out her lady's name. It had been pouring just a few minutes ago and the sun would be setting soon and still Rin was nowhere in sight. 

"I'll get them for this," she muttered as she headed for the main gates. "Personal guards indeed...Chasing after Lord Sesshomaru when Lady Rin is missing..."

She stopped abruptly when she felt her lord's youkai energy double in size and looked up to see her lord elegantly crossing the overcast sky in a sphere of light blue.

A moment later, the loud creaks of the heavy wooden doors announced the arrival of two drenched demons with muddy attires. Dakeru didn't even wait for the doors to open completely. He squeezed through the small space and dashed over to where his lord had landed.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Kaede quickly called as she saw Dakeru heading towards them. "Lady Rin has still not returned yet. The servants looked every from the stable to the gardens-"

"My lord, I assure you that Lady Rin would love it!" Dakeru interrupted as he pushed a scowling Kaede aside. "It's the best way to keep her company and-"

Dakeru stopped abruptly when he noticed that his lord's eyes were fixed on the dark borders of the Western forest. His orange eyes followed his gaze and soon froze at the sight before him.

"Kaede, did you check the..." Narita, who had jogged up to the three, found himself lost of words as his eyes locked onto the two figures emerging from the forest.

Kaede, however, thought it was useless to stop and stare. She briskly crossed the wet plains of grass, anger etched on every corner of her aging face.

"Lord...Kenshiro!" She hollered. Due to his cocky attitude and air of levity, she didn't even want to refer him as her lord's equal and to see him ambling out of the forest with her lady in his arms almost triggered off a rant of invectives she had in mind.

"Good evening," he grinned as he simple went past her. "I thought a nice walk would do Lady Rin some good, so I took her out for a stroll."

"In a weather like this?" Kaede barely controlled her anger as she stood in front of him. "Lady Rin is seriously ill! Did you even-"

"Kaede."

A sharp whisper from Narita cut her off. She was about to ignore him and continue on with her tirade, but a glimpse of her lord's narrowing pair of irritated eyes told her that it would be best to listen to Narita's advice. She stood out of his way, letting him come face to face with Sesshomaru.

Rin refused to move from her spot during the whole commotion.

Sesshomaru merely looked at her still form and turned his attention back to the feline demon in front of him.

"Where have you taken my ward?"

He smirked in response.

"Somewhere special."

The silence from the western lord told him that it was not the answer he wanted.

"Lady Rin is tired," Ken continued. "She wishes to return to her chamber. Standing out here in the rain won't do her any good."

"Well, Lord Sesshomaru can escort her there himself," Dakeru growled without a second thought. Narita nudged him in the ribs, but Kaede looked encouragingly at the immobile demon.

Sesshomaru felt his inner demon form snarling at the cocky aristocrat, its claws itching to maul the inferior presence before him. But the sensible side of him reasoned that it would take too much time to do so and the rain really wasn't the most salubrious thing for his ward, so it was best to take her up to her chambers.

He slowly reached over to remove her motionless form from the supercilious young lord.

But he stopped instantly when she flinched at his touch.

A wave of fear radiated off her quivering figure and the image of her delicate hands clutching tighter onto Kenshiro's kimono made his inner demon growl louder.

"Well," the cocky demon said with a smug smile, "it looks like she's a bit frightened of you."

His golden eyes flashed into a crimson color.

"I guess I'll just have to take her up to her bed myself," he spoke with an air of smug satisfaction as he shifted her closer to him, "Oh, and I asked Karang to drop offa small gift of tea leaves in Lady Rin's chamber. It'll certainly help ease her pain."

He then turned and sashayed towards the Eastern building, a smirk curled onto his lips.

Kaede was still clenching her teeth in fury while Narita and Dakeru nervously waited for their lord to show some response rather than standing still and staring at the place where the demon had just took his leave. Sesshomaru had not even bothered to use his yougi to keep him dry from the rain; his kimono was damp and water dripped from the ends of his swords.

"Dakeru."

His voice was still impassive, but the three knew better not to interpret his reply as a jubilant one. Irritation and anger was hid under his low voice.

"Ha, hai?"

"Repeat what you wanted me to do."


	10. Chapter 10

**A Furry Nuisance  
Chapter Ten**

_A young child hummed a merry tune as she gently rubbed dirt out of a peevish animal's fur at the low banks of a creek. He meowed in her small hands and struggled feverously, disagreeing with the cold temperature of the water. The child giggled and carefully held the feline still, making sure every patch of dirt was off its drenched coat._

_"Hold still," the child chided. "You wiggle much more than Jaken-sama in the water."_

_"I heard that, Rin!" A short, green demon squawked from his fishing spot, which was a little far off upstream from where the child was._

_She finally became satisfied with the soaked delicate body and lifted him out of the water. He glared at the child with his yellow eyes, making sure that she could see the needle sharp feline teeth as he let out a disgruntled hiss. The child, however, cared not for the warning and started wiping the droplets of water away from the animal's head with the long sleeves of her checkered yukata._

_"Rin!"_

_The excited call of her name caused her to look up at her short guardian, who was struggling furiously to keep a freshly caught fish still in his hands._

_"The water bottle! Quickly, before it escapes!" He squawked._

_"Just a minute, Jaken-sama," she called back as she held the animal up to her eye level._

_"A minute? Can't you see that I have- Ack!"_

_The struggling fish had managed to wiggle out of the demon's scrawny hands and leap out of his grip. He squabbled to regain his profit of the day, but soon tripped over his clumsy feet and fell head first into the running stream. The fish dexterously swam along with the water._

_"Riiin!"_

_His yells were completely pointless for the girl had already left her spot with the animal in her arms.  
_

* * *

The weather was a bit chilly due to yesterday's rain, the grass still wet, and the dirt a bit moist. A light orange color slowly encroached the night sky and the distant hooting of owls were heard from the forest. And as the grounds were still with raccoons stirring gently and children shifting in their sleep, a figure dashed across the plains of wet grass, trying to keep his body low as possible. 

It whipped at every corner of the buildings, snuck stealthily through the hallways, and occasionally dived into bushes at the cough of a sleeping servant. Another successful sprint towards the swords shed and he had reached his destination.

"My lord, you have to wag your tail."

Narita was kneeling before a pure white animal the size of a young horse. His fur seemed to gleam even under the soft twilight, showing off its pristine color. A pair of cold golden eyes were narrowed in annoyance and his snout was closed shut as if he was containing back a snarl. Two magenta stripes adorned the side of his face and a lone blue crescent marking was placed on his forehead.

"My lord, you look like as if you want to tear someone's throat out," Narita sighed. "Lady Rin will be terrified."

The newcomer stumbled over to the two and let out a yawn for a greeting.

"I still don't understand why we have to do this in the peak of dawn," he complained.

"You don't know what servants' gossips can do, Dakeru," his companion replied. "The last thing we want is rumors that our lord is turning into cuddly animals so that he could woo-"

He immediately stopped with a nervous laugh as an apology when he received a threatening growl from the animal before him.

"So, what did you do about the feline?"

"I rubbed some weird herbs Jinenji gave me on his nose," Dakeru replied. "The sneaky furball was damn hard to get. It was cuddling right next to Lady Rin and I had to dive down whenever she shifted, which happened quite often."

A low growl escaped from the fidgeting animal.

"I hid him in my room. And my lord, I think you'll have to become much smaller than your present size."

"That's what I've been saying," Narita grumbled, "but our lord insists that he stays this size."

"My lord, please excuse me for my blunt remark, but I assure you that not many women find a dog the size of a pony very appealing."

The animal gave an irritated snort and shifted his paws in his position. He turned his gaze towards Dakeru with impassive eyes. His swordsman rolled his eyes as he sighed.

"My lord, Lady Rin isn't afraid of Ah-Un despite their size because she knows that they prefer vegetation for their diet. My lord in speaking, on the other hand-"

A smug smile was on Dakeru's face when he was interrupted by an impatient growl from his lord. A soft glow of light soon engulfed the annoyed dog, shrinking gradually along with the ruffled structure of the canine.

"A little bit smaller...A bit more...My lord, you're still the same size...There, perfect!"

The blinding white light had cleared and when Narita had focused his eyes again, he found his lord in his demon form about the size of a small fox. Dakeru seemed quite satisfied with himself as he approached the now disgruntled animal. He shook his body with a swift ruffle, trying to get use to the vulnerable feeling of his small size. Dakeru carefully picked him up with a muttered apology of respect and brought him up to his eye level. Instinctively, the animal brought its hind legs close to its chest when the hands supported only his sides. He growled in annoyance and embarrassment as his flippant servant grinned.

"And now for the grand finale."

* * *

Rin was absent mindedly sitting on the futon, fiddling with a long weed as Kaede brushed her soft hair. Kaede was mumbling about the absence of Narita and Dakeru, cursing them for leaving her in charge of all their duties; which included writing a summary of a thick lineage scroll and rehearsing troop positions. Rin merely made half-hearted responses, twirling the wilting weed between her fingers. She had just been informed that the two missing miscreants Kaede was complaining about had left for the Bokusenou's glens to accompany her lord for some urgent meeting, leaving a short note of "Don't forget to feed Ah-Un" on the library door. 

She wondered why she wasn't informed of this meeting sooner. Was she the Lady of the Western Lands for nothing?

She felt helpless. Did Lord Sesshomaru have no need of her?

The thought of her lord made her flinch inwardly. She had always thought of him under the shade of a tree. He would be closing his eyes, his ears alert to his surroundings, and his hair would move slowly with a gentle breeze. But now a slaughtered village would pop into her mind, her lord standing indifferently in the mass of brutally lacerated humans as his men continued to ruthlessly torture the survivors.

Then she recalled the warmly smiling acquaintance she had recently met. She remembered how he had carefully carried her into her chambers, stroking her hair when she had unconsciously shivered. He had laid her in bed and gave her a smile, saying that someone special would visit her over the night. Puzzled, she asked who it was and all she received was a jolly laugh and a tease, saying that she was still a young child of curiosity. He then left without another word, humming merrily as he jumped out of her open window once more.

She didn't recall falling asleep, but when she opened her eyes, she was greeted with a small meow and a tickling sensation on her nose. The silver feline was lying at her side, his yellow eyes gleaming playfully with a long weed in his mouth. She gave him a genuine smile and allowed him to cuddle in her arms before they both dozed off into the night.

Then she awoke to find herself alone once more in the room.

"...And really, just running off like that, leaving me to do all the work! Dakeru might have done that, but I thought better of Narita! When they come back, I'll-"

"Kaede?"

"Oh, yes, my lady?"

"Is Ken-sama still in the Southern Quarters?"

Kaede pursed her lips at the mention of the name.

"Well," she said as she laid down the comb, "I heard that he wasn't in his room when the maids went to serve his meal...I suspect he left with Lord Sesshomaru, my lady."

Rin merely nodded, somewhat disappointed at the answer. Kaede muttered something under her breath and called in a maid, who entered immediately with a tray which held a steaming cup of tea.

"My lady," Kaede somewhat tentatively said as she picked up the cup, eyeing the slightly green sustenance inside. "Lord..." Her lips turned into a thin line before continuing. "Lord Kenshiro instructed us to brew the leaves you had brought last night and he kindly took half an hour of his time to hint that it would improve your welfare," sheconluded in a rather dry tone.

Rin accepted the cup with a nod of thanks to the maid and looked at the steaming beverage. She remembered when she first brewed her first cup of tea for her lord and how he had given her a faint shadow of a smile after his first sip. She could feel the corner of her eyes becoming hot.

"Your coughing seemed to have ceased, but that walk in the shower yesterday is certainly..." Kaede stopped short when she caught sight of her tears. "My lady?"

"I miss him, Kaede," she whispered.

Kaede's eyes softened as she watched her lady silently stare at her tea, eyes streaming and tears rolling down her cheeks. She remembered when she first saw her as a child. Her young concerned face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes for the first time of her second life. The village had been a disastrous pile of charcoaled bodies, but she had survived the ruthless attack from the bandits the other night. Or rather, her life was restored by a swift movement of a demon's sword. Her savior turned out to be not the impassive demon lord who had used his sword of the heavens, but the jubilant innocent child who had persuaded him to do so. She remembered how the child, who was barely a decade old, had nursed her for a whole week, ignoring the complaints of her imp companion. She recalled how the child looked so dependent on the cold demon, how she never refused to leave his side as she offered him smiles and small bouquets of flowers.

She didn't need to ask who she was talking about.

"Drink your tea, my lady," she whispered quietly as she stroked her head. "Maybe a walk in the gardens will do you some good."

The young woman nodded silently, bringing the cup to her lips. She took a small sip.

"How is it, my lady?"

Rin offered her a soft smile.

* * *

"What in Kami-sama's name are you doing?" 

Narita had just been on the roof of the Northern Quarters, spying on the young woman who had just left her room to head for the gardens. He had left Dakeru looking after his vulnerable lord, but what he didn't expect to see when he came back was his companion snickering as he kept lowering and lifting his irritated master into the air, only supporting its sides.

"It's quite funny when you look at him this way," Dakeru chuckled.

"You're going to be in for a pounding once our lord turns back," Narita said with a wry smile as he shook his head.

"Is she out?"

"Yes, I saw her heading towards the gardens," Narita replied. "Dakeru you better let Lord Sesshomaru go before- Yes, before he does that."

Dakeru let out a soft curse when a swift paw swiped him near the wrists. His hands instinctively let go of the dog, letting the animal to land cumbersomely, his legs sprawled beneath him. He growled again in embarrassment and annoyance.

"Hey, you've got his fur all dusty!" Narita complained as he observed his disgruntled lord, whose white coat was now dusted with brown dirt.

"Well, excuse my boldness, my royal partner-in-crime," Dakeru grumbled as he examined the light scratch on his wrist.

Narita made a move to pick up his annoyed lord, but only received a menacing snarl and a flash of canine teeth. He gave Dakeru another scowl before stepping away as his lord got up on his four paws, swiftly shaking himself to dust off the dirt.

"If you're quite done whining over your wrist Dakeru," Narita huffed. "I would like to add that knowing Kaede, our lady was permitted only a few moments outdoors,  
so it's best if we get moving."

"I hate animals," Dakeru muttered as he dexterously gathered his cranky lord into his arms once more.

The two shared a quick glance before looking back at their lord, who had a quite peeved expression on his canine face.

If their plan didn't work, they were in for it big.

* * *

A bush bustled noisily, successfully scaring off a young bear cub. It bawled as it quickly ran away from the bush of berries before a head popped out of the thick shrub. 

"Do you see anything?" A voice grumbled from inside the foliage.

"I see red berry juice running down my nose, but I am proud to announce that I also see our lady in front of dear old Jinenji's hut."

"Could you hurry up? Someone's getting quite cranky in here and it isn't me."

Dakeru retreated his head back into the bush to see his lord growling irritatingly as he struggled with a few twigs in his fur. "All right, she's taking a walk through the gardens near the herbs. Just go up to her and act friendly, my lord, in other words, wag your tail and...Um... Say 'ruff ruff'."

"Dakeru, you're no use," Narita commented before turning back to his lord. "We'll be right behind you, just in case. All right... Good luck, my lord."

He gave a gentle push and instantly the disgruntled dog found himself outside of the shrub. Giving a quick shake to get rid of the twigs and foliage from his fur, he gave the shrub an irritated glance before quietly walking towards the gardens on his small paws. He stumbled a few times as his feet clumsily tripped over the other. It had been a few decades since he had turned into his demon form and believe it or not it was his first time on walking on paws that were smaller than Rin's hands.

A snicker escaped from the shrub and he gave it a sharp glare before picking himself up from the dirt for the second time. Somebody was going to suffer for this.

He finally reached the edge of the gardens after a few more stumbles and falls. Once again he found himself rather annoyed with his small body, now that he couldn't even see where he was going due to the tall shrubs and flowers. He made a mental note to cut off all the daffodils in the third row, which was becoming quite bothersome.

He barely managed to sniff out her scent out of the stinging aromas of plants, but finally found her in front of Jinenji's hut. The shy gardener was inside the shadows of his residence while Rin was sitting outside on the grass.

"Do you think I'm no help to him?" She was saying in a quiet voice.

"Surely...Not..." The demon's slow reply was equally quiet.

He wondered who they were talking about as he silently went towards them.

"He could have at least told me himself before he left," she whispered.

"My lord...Must have... Been... Busy..."

He then realized that it was him they were talking about. He slowed his pace and kept his body low.

"I feel that he finds me as a bother," Rin said as she fiddled with the hem of her kimono sleeves. "Maybe he still loathes the human blood that flows in my veins."

Where did she get that idea? Oh yes, because he didn't tell her that he was leaving himself the other night. But that was a lie. His ward was upset because of this little white lie? Whose stupid idea was this?

...Oh, yes. Dakeru.

That wolf was going to shed some blood tonight.

A gnarled, large hand slowly came out of its haven of darkness and into the sunlight. It tentatively held the milky, delicate hand on her lap and gave it an assuring squeeze. She offered him a soft smile as she pressed her damp eyes with her free hand. Jinenji blushed a brilliant hue of crimson.

All right, he was done watching their moments.

He slowly approached her from behind.

Jinenji was the first to notice the newcomer. He blinked his large, beady eyes as the animal sat right behind her with a mildly irritated face when she didn't notice him instantly. He shifted his paws, wondering how to get her attention when he remembered what Dakeru had said. Something about his tail...

He concentrated on his tail bones, realizing that he had never tried to wag it before. It wasn't quite as easy as he thought. It was as if his bones were stuck together in the alert position it was always in. He strained with all his might and finally managed to raise his stiff tail into the air before it flumped on its opposite side with a loud thump.

He vaguely got the feeling that he wasn't doing it correctly, but hey, at least he tried.

The sudden noise had caught her attention. She turned her gaze towards him and let out a soft gasp. Jinenji slowly peeked outside, blinking his eyes feverishly as he tried to accustom to the light.

Thump thump thump thump...

Oh, Kami-sama, his tail was killing him.

She was looking at him with eyes filled with astonishment as he sat there, wagging, or rather lifting and dropping his tail systematically. Maybe he wasn't being friendly enough? But he couldn't possibly wag anymore. He let his tail land with another loud thump and tentatively shifted his paws forward bit by bit until his nose was almost in contact with the sleeve of her kimono.

"Hello... Where did you come from?" She asked softly as she smiled.

She hesitantly held out a hand and he nudged it with his nose in response. A warm, pleasant feeling soon filled him inside when another hand slowly stroked him behind his floppy ears. His tail twitched. He unconsciously leaned towards her and almost fell into her lap.

Letting out a soft giggle, she gently gathered his small form into her arms.

"I seem to be attracting quite a few numbers of animals these days," she joked as she rubbed the end of his ears.

Jinenji said nothing as he watched the dog shift his position in her lap. Something was tugging at the back of his mind. He saw the canine somewhere...

Maybe if he had pondered a bit more, he would have remembered seeing an ancient scroll painting of a similar animal somewhere in the castle, but the arrival of an exasperated Kaede made the thought slip out of his mind.

Kaede came striding across the gardens in her swift gait, looking quite irritated as her kimono whipped against the wind. A few strands of graying hair had become loose from her ponytail as she hurriedly made her way towards her lady.

"Oh my," Rin muttered as she got up from the ground, hugging the dog securely in her arms.

Concern and mild annoyance was etched on Kaede's aging face as she approached Jinenji's hut.

"My lady, what have I-," She stopped short when she saw the new animal in Rin's arms.

Sesshomaru inwardly flinched inside when he received a stern stare from Kaede. He had never approached anyone in the castle his true demon form until now, but he was quite sure Kaede, being a miko, would realize that his demon form was quite similar to all of his ancestor's, which a picture of them were sketched delicately on fine paper and hung on the walls of the main temple of the castle.

Her brown hues studied him as he anxiously tried to avoid her eyes.

"Isn't he gorgeous, Kaede?" Rin asked with a hopeful voice as she held him out to her. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Not another animal, my lady," Kaede said with a curt voice.

"Oh..." She pulled him back into her arms.

"...Then just for one night," she sighed as her lady's face brightened. "But what about the cat?"

"It's only for one night, I'm sure Kero won't mind," Rin replied as she hugged him closer.

"Well...He's quite filthy," Kaede observed, eyeing the dirt on his fur.

Filthy? He quirked an eyebrow and looked down at himself. He scowled, not really liking the idea that he was called filthy.

"Oh, don't worry," she smiled, "I was planning to take a bath anyways so I'll give him a wash there."

The canine suddenly went rigid in her arms.

She looked down at him and gently scratched his ears.

"I'll get the bath ready, my lady."

_Kaede. Kaede!_

He frantically called after the retreating form of the miko, completely forgetting that communication in his demon form didn't work with humans.

Rin smiled as she kissed him on the forehead.

"Let's get that dirt off, shall we?"

If he wasn't Sesshomaru, one who rarely yells in despair, his distraught cries for two certain men would have echoed through the dark forest as the sun slowly saturated the clear sky with a dark hue of red.

* * *

**Hope you** enjoyed this chapter! Lord Fluffy's got himself into a rather uncomfortable situation. Reviews would be wonderful. 


	11. Chapter 11

**A Furry Nuisance**  
**Chapter Eleven**

He desperately scratched on the door, cursing his small form once again. The center of the door was merely thick rice paper stuck to a wooden frame that was divided in squares. If he had been just a few inches taller, he could have at least swipe a hole in the white paper and leap out of there (Or so he thought. He never realized that he could get caught on the square frames). Why wasn't the damn door sliding open? If it was like the other doors, it was supposed to be opened with ease with just one flick of his paw!

...Oh, yes.

He had took extra care to make the door as heavy as possible (He suspected there would be a few peeping toms) since the bathhouse was personally for his ward. He now noticed that everything would have been much easier if he had thought about replacing the paper door with a full wooden one instead if he was concerned about her privacy.

Oh, wait. Then his plan of tearing his way out through the paper wouldn't work.

He went rigid when he heard the soft sound of fabric sliding down onto the floor. He hoped she wouldn't notice that he was missing from the spot next to the main spring.

He was leaving another futile scratch on the door when he heard harsh breathing from the other side. Looking up, he saw a slender finger poking a hole in the lowest square of paper.

"My lord?"

He let out a menacing growl when he recognized the voice of Dakeru.

"We just came here to tell you that you're doing just great."

Doing great? He was about to take a bath with his eighteen-year-old ward for Kami-sama's sake!

...Did he not want to?

He shook his head, scolding himself to even think about enjoying the idea. He growled.

"Oh, come on, my lord. Who cares if it's unethical? My lord can't deny that he still wants to see-"

"Dakeru, move."

Narita shoved his companion away and quickly conquered the talking hole.

"My lord, you better be careful. Kaede suspects something now that she found the conference archive still in the library. She probably knows we're still here."

He almost let out a whine of frustration to get attention.

"What do you mean awkward? Lady doesn't even know! No, with all due respect, we won't let you out, my lord. This is your best chance! Together alone in the same spring? Do something cute at the right time and you've got that furry nuisance out of her mind!"

"By the way, Lady Rin has a lovely figure!"

The dog's growled deep in his throat. When he heard a smart slap that told him Dakeru had just received his punishment on his head, the canine curled his lips upwards in a doglike smirk. His ears perked up when he caught the scent of a newcomer. He recognized that stomping gait...

"DAKERU! NARITA!"

"Oh, shit. Run, Narita, run!"

He heard the frantic scrambling of his two men as Kaede's exasperated voice grew louder.

"Dakeru! Nairta! Get back here you two!"

He would have worried of what would become of the two demons when Kaede got her hands on them, but he soon found himself not in the position to do so, for he suddenly felt two slender arms lifting him up by his midriff.

"There you are," Rin said with a relieved voice.

Sesshomaru was currently trying his best not to focus on the soft wall of warmth that was contacting with his back. A light hue of crimson appeared on his face, which was thankfully kept hidden by his fur.

Rin slid open the door just as Kaede was passing by.

"Kaede? Did you just call Narita and Dakeru?"

"Yes, in fact I did, my lady," Kaede answered with a slight scowl. "Those two must have made it look as if they were gone so they could skip- My lady, you're only in your bathing robe!" It was then that he felt the smooth silk against his back what he had mistaken for the bare skin of her chest. Relieved, but yet disappointed(for reasons he later scolded himself for) he relaxed his tensed hind legs.

"It's not so thin..." Rin insisted as she held him closer. The lax limbs again stiffened. "Do you think Sesshomaru-sama is still here too?"

His left ear perked up unconsciously at the sound of his name.

"No, my lordship must have left alone in the first place, my lady."

"Oh..."

He could sense her disappointment and her arms tightening around him. A small bubble of pride swelled inside him and the dog wiggled smugly.

"I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru will return soon, my lady," Kaede consoled as she gently pushed Rin back through the door. "He never failed to come back within a week before."

Rin silently nodded and allowed herself to be steered into the bath house, not realizing with every step the animal in her arms was becoming stiffer.

He could feel the waves of heat and picked up the heavy smell of steaming water. Kami-sama, he never even saw her taking a bath when she was a child!

The front hall of the bathhouse ended in an open space where steam was allowed to rise into the night sky for there was no roof to trap it. The tub looked like any other natural spring except for the firm stone walls that were piled high to enclose her in a secured haven.

"Why don't you leave the robe on, my lady," Kaede said as she laid a towel next to the spring, "it'll keep you from warm from the wind."

A weak, disgruntled, guttural whimper escaped his throat as she carefully lowered a foot into the water.

"Well, at least the feline bathed himself alone with his tongue," Kaede muttered as she watched him slowly struggle in her arms.

He stopped short, giving the miko a glare, and huffed inwardly to himself, but stayed still.

"He's quite bright, isn't he?" Rin giggled as she stepped fully into the pool of water.

Oh, how he hated feeling the tip of his fur becoming heavy with moisture. Nobody could understand this incredibly stuffy feeling if one wasn't a dog who was exceptionally fluffier than others and had been soaked in hot, but not burning, water.

"Being bright has nothing to do with hygiene in my opinion, my lady. Do scrub him thoroughly," Kaede sighed as she placed a delicately folded kimono next to the spring.

"I will." Rin smiled.

"Miko-sama?"

A timid, but anxious voice was heard from the door of the bathhouse. The two women and canine looked towards the door.

"Tohu-sensei?" Kaede called.

"Yes, it's me. Please excuse me for interrupting, but there's something urgent I need to tell you. I've found something in the library."

"Excuse me, my lady."

With a bow, Kaede excused herself from the bathroom, but not before eyeing the canine with a pair of wary eyes. Slightly shaking her head, she closed the sliding doors behind her and soon the sound of the heavier wooden entrance door followed along with muffled talking of voices.

And the two were left in a comfortable silence.

* * *

"Why did we even run like hell if she wasn't following us?" Dakeru panted between breaths. He leaned onto thick bamboo tree as he tried to calm his breath. He remembered the last time when Kaede caught him playing hooky. He wasn't very anxious to face Kaede's wrath and her painful punishments again. 

"My hip hurts," Narita muttered through ragged breaths as he clutched his left side.

"Oh, Kami-sama... I'm gettin' old," Dakeru wheezed.

"Dakeru, what are we going to do-"

Narita paused, standing up straight as he glared into the thick bamboo forest they were in. Leaves rustled as a soft breeze went by, but the eagle demon didn't move.

"What is it?" Dakeru asked as he straightened up as well.

"...We're not alone." Narita said in a low voice.

Dakeru tilted his head upwards and closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring slightly as he tried to catch a scent.

"I don't smell anything."

"We're not facing the wind." Narita whispered as he conjured his spear. He flexed his right hand so that his bones were punctured and the ripping of skin could be heard as a thick pole emerged from his wrist, as if it were a overgrown arm bone stretching out of his body. Normally, Narita would have winced during the process, but his eyebrows were joined together as his eyes intensely searched the forest. Dakeru unsheathed his two swords. A breeze whipped the loose hems of their attires.

"Well, I guess the bird has a bit more sense than the mutt."

The voice was mocking, feminine, and unfamiliar. The two immediately looked up to find a demon with flaming red hair looking down at them with a sneer. Her attire was simple: boots that were knee-high made of orange fur, the same material of the cloth she wore over the flexible tights. Her top was short sleeved and a red handkerchief adorned her neck. She had her hands to her hips and was smirking in a way that made the two demons below her intimidated.

"What's the matter?" She called with a mocking voice. "Cat got your tongue?"

"I'll cut yours off if you keep talking like that," Dakeru growled, baring his teeth.

"So you expect me to tell you how long that human's going to live with half a tongue?"

This caught both of them off guard. Narita was the first to recover, anger in his eyes.

"Lady Rin is fine," he hissed.

"Now that's what you think," she laughed. "She's already showing her second symptom!"

Dakeru bended his knees, ready to leap up into the air, but Narita stopped him with a glare.

"You know about the illness, don't you?" He asked.

"I should, considering the fact our village suffered from it for a century."

Narita nor Dakeru said nothing as the youkai hummed jubilantly.

"It was strange really," she continued, leisurely twitching her tail as she looked up thoughtfully. "Every one of the patients would show the same symptoms of a common cold. Then the next thing you know, the second symptom appears and immediately death follows."

Narita's ears twitched slightly at her words.

"Second symptom?" He inquired, ignoring the alarming look Dakeru shot at him.

The female gave him a sideways glance before smirking.

"Sure. Haven't you realized by now?"

Narita was getting nervous. He had noticed the first symptoms of the disease. Rin would cough, lose her appetite, and often develop high fevers. He had thought of it as a serious cold which his lady had caught in a state of emotional distress. But a second symptom?

The cat demon slid off from her seat and landed gracefully on her feet. She approached the two in a saunter, enjoying the moment of being the upper hand of the battle already.

"I'll tell you a little something since I pity your thickness," she drawled. "The reason why so many died from this disease was because it was always mistaken as some other measly sickness or perhaps in some cases... Emotional distress," she emphasized her last two words with a coy smile as she saw the fleeting look of surprise on Narita's face. "But no...It's far more lethal than that. After the first symptoms similar to a cold, the disease would die down for some time, depending on the health of the patient. But it takes less than a week for the patient to relapse and show the second, or shall I say, individual symptom."

"Individual...?" Dakeru muttered under his breath. His grip tightened on his swords when the female gave her direct attention towards him.

"Yes, half-breed. Individual," she sneered. "The second symptom is different for every patient. So far, there has been six types that has been observed back in our clan. Vomiting, boils, dehydration... The most painful one would be what your lady is suffering from now." She let out a mirthless laugh.

'Second symptom...?' Narita pondered. And then he realized. He didn't need the fleeting desperate look Dakeru shot at him as he hissed out the dreaded words.

"That time when Lady coughed up blood..!"

"That's right, hanyou!" She let out a mirthless laugh. "She's going to continue losing mass amounts of blood on a frequent basis! That pathetic mutt you call your lord won't be able to save her-"

There was a snarl from Dakeru, but Narita was the one who had his left hand firmly clasped onto the demoness's throat. His talons gleamed under the thin rays of light that penetrated through the thick layer of bamboo leaves above, and his eyes were rapidly becoming bloodshot as he lifted her slightly off her feet.

"Do- not- insult- Lord - Sesshomaru," he snarled. "We don't need that arrogant furball to deliver the herbs; we can hire the best doctors to come to our aid. Lord Sesshomaru has always come up with the best solutions and this time will be no diff-"

Narita's words turned into a painful hiss as he abruptly let go of her neck. She gracefully flipped backwards to land a good distance away from Narita and Dakeru, who had hurried to come to the eagle demon's aid. Narita's left hand had been burned; the skin was a slight hue of red and the acrid smell of burning skin reached Dakeru's sensitive nose.

"It's amazing what a tiny little bolt of lightning can do," the demoness purred. She leaped back up to the thick bamboo trees, her tail twitching leisurely as she looked down at them.

"You better not mess with the Warriors of the East," she said with a sneer. "Unlike your common filth, we have been gifted with the elements of nature. Watch who you're picking your fights with!"

"And by the way," she added as she examined her claws with a smirk curled on her lips, "the disease can't be cured with common medication. The herbs are the only chance for her survival and they're hidden within the secret dens of tree imps, who - you already should know - rarely appears in the presence of foreigners. That rumor going around in the human villages just shows how ignorant those mortals are! Silver nekos being able to contact tree imps? Well, here's something new for you! There is ONLY one silver neko in all these four lands and that happens to be Lord Kenshiro! Those pathetic mortals have been watching OUR lord contacting the tree imps for centuries and they didn't even realize that it was the same feline every single time!"

Dread filled inside Dakeru as he listened to every word the jeering demon said. His heart pounded in his ears as anger and fear made his stomach turn. Before Narita did anything, Dakeru had leapt up in a flash and lashed out his two swords. The cat demon was a second faster; she agilely jumped backwards from her place, Dakeru's swords slashing only the thick bamboo, and landed nimbly onto another tree.

"But no matter!" She jeered. "Lord Kenshiro has his eyes on that human you serve as your lady! My lord is shrewd and ambitious; he always gets what he wants! If you truly wish for her survival, it would be wise to yield her to Lord Kenshiro, the next lord of all the four empires! Heed my words, you ignorant fools: your lands will be conquered by the Eastern Lands of the Hyoneko tribe and it will be the last of this ridiculous heterogeneous land and its soft-hearted cowardly ruler!"

This time both of the infuriated demon and half-demon charged at her, catching the demoness off guard. She barely managed to grab hold of the head of Narita's spear before it plunged into her stomach, but Dakeru's hard blow on her face knocked her off from her place. Her hands gripped onto the narrow trunk of a bamboo as she fell, but her grip was torn off when Narita hit her squarely in her left rib with the pole of his spear. She fell on her back, hitting her head against the rough ground and letting out a sharp hiss. Her gleaming green eyes widened slightly when the image of Dakeru jumping off from the bamboo branches directly above her was reflected in them. His elbows were tucked in and his swords crossing each other as they aimed for her exposed chest.

"This is for Lord Sesshomaru!" he snarled.

There was a faint rustle, and the next moment Dakeru was hit by a blow in midair, causing him to crash into the thick forest. There were loud cracks from the bamboos snapping at the sudden collision as dust rose from the path Dakeru made as he slid across the dirt. His hands were held together in a crudely shaped, large block of ice and a small patch of frost was covering his right cheek.

"DAKERU!" Narita shouted. He was running towards his fallen companion when someone jumped right in front of his path.

It was the eldest demoness of the Hyoneko tribe; Karang's eyes held a cold gaze, but anger flickered in her red orbs. Narita took a step back, his spear poised in front of him. The vein in his wrist was throbbing.

"I shall apologize in behalf of my younger sibling, Shunrang; it was wrong of her to speak illy of your lord," she coldly said. "However, your capricious and violent actions towards my sister can not be justified. Your partner deserved what he got."

There was a loud rustle and some snapping of bamboo as the bulky male Hyoneko warrior appeared into view. His fists were giving off waves of frigid air.

Karang gave her fallen sister a perfunctory glance before snapping, "Get up."

Shunrang grudgingly got to her feet, slightly swaying from the concussion she got by colliding her head. Her brother came striding forwards and grabbed hold of her upper arm with a massive hand. Cautiously but quickly, Karang walked backwards towards her two siblings.

"We shall be meeting soon," she curtly said.

And without another word, the three swiftly sprinted into the forest.

As soon as the footsteps retreated, Narita ran over to Dakeru's side and gingerly helped him sit up. Dakeru stirred and his purple eyes slowly fluttered open.

"What the hell just happened?" He groaned irritably as Narita started hacking the block of ice holding his wrists. The ice gave in with a loud crack. Dakeru gingerly touched his itching right cheek and winced. The patch of frost was giving off a faint mist of cold air like the fists of the male Hyoneko. The edges were slowly spreading across the face.

"Come on," Narita muttered. "We've got to find Kaede to get that off; it looks like strong youki."

"Funny... I thought we were running away from her a few moments ago," Dakeru mumbled. He tried to stand, but soon staggered; he barely managed to stop himself from falling on his face by supporting himself with his swords. He let out a sharp scream of pain when he gripped the hilts too hard. His hands were frost bitten and swollen.

"What's wrong?" Narita asked, alarmed.

"I can't move," Dakeru groaned through clenched teeth. "The damn ice did something more than make my hands cold."

It seemed like Dakeru was right; his red hands were quickly becoming a light shade of blue. Narita swiftly helped Dakeru lean onto a nearby bamboo trunk and took off his nagagi.

"Wait here," he curtly said as he wrapped Dakeru's hands with his clothing. "I'm going to get Kaede."

"Hurry..." Dakeru said weakly.

The sun had already set when Narita sprinted out of the forest and into the plains, heading straight for the main entrance of the castle grounds. The eagle demon only had two thoughts in mind as he ignored the bewildered questions of the patrol guards at the gate: one was reaching Kaede in hopes of saving his long time friend; the other was protecting the only human woman he adored from both the claws of death and an arrogant aristocrat.

* * *

**I apologize** for the late update but I have been quite busy with moving(yes, excuses excuses). Hope you enjoyed this chapter! 


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